THE CHEMISTRY OF

THE ATMOSPHERE

ENGR. CSC
 WHAT IS THE
ATMOSPHERE?
The atmosphere …

➢ the thick blanket of air which

envelopes our planet and helps
sustain life.
➢behaves as a protecting shield for all
life on Earth, making it unique in the
solar system.
The atmosphere …

➢contains mixture of gases which are

forced to be maintained near the
Earth’s surface by gravity.
* These atmospheric gases which are used
in respiration and photosynthesis are called
‘air’.
Though the atmosphere extends into
outer space and there is no distinct
border between them, there is an
imaginary line called the Kármán Line
which is approximately at the height of
100 km and is considered as the
boundary of Earth’s atmosphere.
 Why is it
significant?
The atmosphere protects life
on earth by serving the
following functions:

Absorbs the energetic

ultraviolet radiation while
allowing the passing of
important visible radiations
Keeps the earth’s surface
warm through heat retention,
making possible a
comfortable mean
temperature of ±15°C.

✘ Prevents excessive heating

of surface of the earth at day
and excessive cooling at
night thereby reducing the
temperature variations
• Contains nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide gases
essential for plant growth and for respiration
• It protects the surface of earth and all life existing on
earth from small meteorites that heat up in the
atmosphere due to friction.
• Serves an integral part in the bio-geo chemical cycles
of C, N, O, P and S.
• Helps in flow of energy and water vapors through
dynamic processes of air flow.
• Helps in radio communication
➢ Helps in movement of air crafts.

➢ Aids in dissipation, dispersion and

decomposition of pollutants.
 THE
COMPOSITION
OF THE
ATMOSPHERE
 EVOLUTION OF THE
ATMOSPHERE

ENGR. CSC
In present day, the evolution of the
atmosphere is a long process, spanning
over millions of years and related with the
earth origin and evolution. The evolution
process can be divided into three eras or
stages:
1. PRIMITIVE OR FIRST ATMOSPHERE
2. REDUCING OR SECOND
ATMOSPHERE
3. OXIDIZING OR PRESENT-DAY
ATMOSPHER
1. PRIMITIVE OR FIRST ATMOSPHERE

✘ The formation of earth took place about 5

billion years ago from the solar nebula.
✘ The atmosphere at that time would have
consisted of primarily hydrogen (H2), water
vapor (H2O), nitrogen (N2), carbon dioxide
(CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO)
1. PRIMITIVE OR FIRST ATMOSPHERE

✘ These gases deliver to the space because

temperatures were too high and earth’s
gravity was weak because earth did not have
a differentiated core.
2. REDUCING OR SECOND ATMOSPHERE

✘ This atmosphere existed from 3.5 to

2 billion years ago.

✘ The hydrosphere formed about 4

billion years ago resulting in huge
oceans from condensed water vapor
 2. REDUCING OR SECOND
ATMOSPHERE

✘ During this period, the earth cooled down and

differentiation of layers took place into a solid core,
liquid mantle and thin crust.

✘ The solid core resulted in a strong gravitational

force
 2. REDUCING OR SECOND
ATMOSPHERE
✘ The energy released from accretion of particles
and decay of radioactive isotopes caused massive
volcanic eruptions.

✘ Gases dissolved in the molten magma were

reduced while passing through the mantle
2. REDUCING OR SECOND ATMOSPHERE

✘ Large amounts of N2 and CO2 were released into

the atmosphere.

✘ Most of the CO2 dissolved in water and

carbonate sediments built up.
 3. OXIDIZING OR PRESENT-DAY
ATMOSPHERE
✘ Around 2.4 billion years ago, free O2 starts
forming in the atmosphere.

✘ Though photosynthesizing cyanobacteria were

present around 2.7 billion years ago, the O2
released during photosynthesis was used in
oxidation of metals like iron.
 3. OXIDIZING OR PRESENT-DAY
ATMOSPHERE

✘ The atmosphere became oxidizing and

O2 consuming life forms began appearing in
the oceans on earth.

✘ O2 was being generated by photolysis of

water from ultraviolet (UV) radiation and also
from photosynthesis by plants and
cyanobacteria.
3. OXIDIZING OR PRESENT-DAY
ATMOSPHERE

✘ However, higher in the atmosphere, O2 molecules

were absorbing the UV radiations and getting
converted to ozone (O3).

✘ Soon, an ozone layer was formed, which protects

surface of the earth from high energy UV radiations
making it feasible also for development of life on
land
 3. OXIDIZING OR PRESENT-DAY
ATMOSPHERE

✘ Ashigher life forms emerged on land,

plants added to the atmospheric O2
while animals used it up for breathing
and the O2 level stabilized around the
21% we know today.
STRUCTURE OF
THE
ATMOSPHERE
There are five layers of the earth’s
atmosphere based on the variation in
vertical temperature in each layer:
• 1. TROPOSPHERE
• 2. STRATOSPHERE
• 3. MESOSPHERE
• 4. THERMOSPHERE
• 5. EXOSPHERE
1. TROPOSPHERE
• ✘ Troposphere is closest layer to the earth’s
surface.
• ✘ It is about 18 km above the sea level at the
equator and 7 km at poles.
• ✘ The temperature will decrease at a rate of
about 6.5 °C per km as the altitude increases.
• ✘ The average temperature near the surface
is 15°C while it is -57° C at the top.
1. TROPOSPHERE

✘ 75% of the atmospheric gases are present in

this layer and almost all of the dust particles and
water vapors.

✘ All weather phenomenon like cloud formation,

winds, rainfall, snowfall takes place in this layer.
2. STRATOSPHERE

• ✘ Stratosphere is the second layer of earth’s

atmosphere. It starts at the top of tropopause
and is 50 km above the sea level.

• ✘ The term stratosphere is derived from a

Greek word “strata” which means
arrangement in horizontal layers.
2. STRATOSPHERE
• ✘ Weather balloons and jet aircrafts fly in this
region as the air present in this layer is very
thin.

• ✘ This increases the fuel efficiency of the

aircrafts.

• ✘ The stratosphere also contains the ozone

layer; at a height of about 30 km.
3. MESOSPHERE
✘ It is the middle layer of the earth’s
atmosphere.

✘ The name derives from the Greek word

‘misos’ meaning middle.

✘ This layer starts at 50 km above the sea level

and extends to about 85 km.

✘ The temperature of upper layer of

mesosphere is even less than - 100°C
• 3. MESOSPHERE

• ✘ It is found that meteors generally burn up

in the mesosphere.

• ✘ Thus, this layer protects the surface of

earth from being pockmarked with craters.
• 4. THERMOSPHERE

• ✘ It is the fourth and widest among all layers

of the atmosphere.

• ✘ It is at 90 km or starts from the top of

mesopause to between 500 and 1,000 km,
varying with solar activity.
• 4. THERMOSPHERE

• ✘ The air is so thin in this layer, that it is

generally considered to be part of outer
space.
• ✘ The Kármán Line at about 100 km is called
as boundary of the atmosphere also lies in
this region.
• ✘ Layer is consist of many satellites and
space shuttles orbit
• 4. THERMOSPHERE

• ✘ Most of the X-rays and UV radiations

emitted by the sun are absorbed in the
thermosphere.

• ✘ In this layer dissociation of the molecules

into atoms, ions and free electrons is done by
high energy radiation
• 4. THERMOSPHERE

• ✘ The ionization process increases with

increase in sun’s activity.

• ✘ The ions create an electrical layer, known

as the ionosphere, which can reflect radio
waves back to the earth making radio
communication possible
• 5. EXOSPHERE

• ✘ This is the outermost layer of earth’s

atmosphere. It starts from the top of
thermosphere and extends up to a height of
10,000 km into space.

• ✘ The atmosphere mainly consists of

hydrogen and helium which can escape into
space. So, the air is so thin here that it is
almost a vacuum