chemistry of the environment: air

is a natural process that we often take for granted.

• Breathing

• oxygen

• carbon

• water

78%

• Nitrogen

• oxygen

• argon

• carbon dioxide

21%

• oxygen

• nitrogen

• other gases

• argon

1%

• other gases

• nitrogen

• oxygen

• argon

0.04%

• carbon dioxide

• nitrogen

• oxygen

• argon

is a cocktail of gases.

• atmosphere

• thermosphere

• exosphere

• stratosphere

gradually fades away into the realm of interplanetary space

• Exosphere

• Troposphere

• Thermosphere

• Mesosphere

is the lowest layer of our atmosphere.

• troposphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

• Exosphere

Starting at ground level, it extends upward to about 10 km (6.2 miles or about 33,000 feet) above sea level.

• troposphere

• mesosphere

• thermosphere

• exosphere

We humans live in it, and nearly all weather occurs in this lowest layer

• troposphere

• mesosphere

• exosphere

• stratosphere