Earth Systems in the Atmosphere - Essay Example

Insert Climatic change Earth systems are composed of several subsystems that interact to create a complex and continuously changing completely called the earth system. These systems are; geosphere (composed of the hard parts that form the earth, i.e. soil and rocks), hydrosphere (the liquid part of earth, i.e. water), cosmosphere (the entire universe surrounding our planet), biosphere (consists of all the living organisms) and the atmosphere (which refers to the blanket of gasses surrounding our planet). My essay on earth systems is in the atmosphere, which is a layer of gasses surrounding our planet. My interest grew stronger in this specific topic because it is that in one way or the other, it has an influence on other earth systems and it has an even greater impact on human beings. Our atmosphere is composed of gasses that play an important role in life. Oxygen, for instance, is considered as a vital gas to support life; it is the air that we breathe. Other than life, our atmosphere is responsible for reflecting away harmful sunrays from reaching the surface of the earth. The general theme of my essay is the effects of atmospheric change on life forms. It is an important subject of interest because as I had stated earlier, it is of great importance to life. We should study its changes and work on how best we can conserve it in order for it to keep supporting life. In relation to earth systems, the atmosphere also gives us weather. The wind, rain, and snow are all dependent on the atmosphere. Plant life directly depends on the atmosphere of carbon dioxide, which is a vital component of plant growth and development (Harington). In addition, let us not forget the good old air we breathe as living organisms comes from the atmosphere. THE ATMOSPHERE The composition of the gasses in the atmosphere which gives the gasses, 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and a 1% of other gasses and dust. The atmosphere sticks to the surface of our planet thanks to its gravitational field. The atmosphere is divided into five layers; i. The exosphere considered to be the outermost layer of about 700 to 10000 kilometers above sea level. ii. The thermosphere is the second outermost layer, which sits at about 80 to 700 kilometers above sea level and is separated from the exosphere by a layer called thermopause. The layer is completely cloudless, and the molecules are in extremely low densities and its temperatures can rise as high as 1500 `c but it would not feel hot to a human in direct contact because of low density of molecules (Nolt). iii. The mesosphere sits at the third highest level of the atmosphere at about 50 to 80 kilometers above sea level. Temperatures here drop with an increase in altitude, and the gasses are thick enough to slow meteorites hurtling into the atmosphere where they are burnt up leaving fiery trails in the sky at night. iv. The stratosphere is the second lowest layer of the earth’s atmosphere sitting at about 12 to 50 kilometers above sea level. This is where the ozone layer lies. v. The lowest atmospheric level is the troposphere, which at 0 to 12 kilometers above sea level has a composition about 79% of the mass of the entire earth’s atmosphere. It contains most of our weather-clouds, rain, and snow (Giorgi). Having looked at the various components of our atmosphere, I will now discuss the relevance of our atmosphere. The atmosphere acts as a radiation shield from harmful solar waves from the sun. Harmful ultraviolet radiations get absorbed in the stratosphere by the vital ozone layer. These rays, which would otherwise destroy terrestrial life, are barred from reaching the earth. Our atmosphere contains an abundance of oxygen, which is a vital component to life forms, which include all animals. The Plant life on the other hand heavily relies on the presence of carbon dioxide to enable them to carry out photosynthesis with the presence of sunlight. The earth’s atmosphere acts like a blanket that keeps us warm, it holds the surface heat and keeps the radiations from reaching the earth. This blanketing effect is referred to as the greenhouse effect, which relates our atmosphere to what happens in a greenhouse. Other than preventing loss of heat, the atmospheres greenhouse effect also plays a vital role in ensuring that there is not an extreme temperature difference between daytime and nighttime. In close relation to temperature regulation, our atmosphere grants us weather. The wind, rain, and snow are all dependent on the atmosphere. The entire precipitation process is based on the atmospheric conditions. Our atmosphere allows it to be possible for the rain to exist in an environment where there was no water to be evaporated in the first place. For example, the wind patterns enhance the movement of clouds from an area with high evaporation (water bodies) to dry land. The existence of the atmosphere means that we do not live in a vacuum. In addition, many things do not happen in a vacuum chief among which is communication. Sound requires molecules to vibrate in order to be transmitted from point to point; this would not be possible in a vacuum because there are no molecules (Climatic Change Thanks Its Reviewers and Emeritus Editors). Our atmosphere also plays a vital role in preventing or reducing the impact of meteoroids traveling from space. The drill behind this is that the meteorites traveling towards our planet are burnt upon reaching our atmosphere due to friction with the air. This is why we always see a streak of light at night in instances of shooting stars. The atmosphere also plays a role in removing pollutants in the air. As the troposphere derives its heat from the earth, warm air, which is lighter, rises and cools down adiabatically. Cooling condenses vapor, and the entire load of pollutants is brought down with snow, rain or dew, which cleans our atmosphere (Bolin). In a movement known as the water cycle, water is moved from the atmosphere onto land, into soil, to the oceans and back to the atmosphere or through the living organisms like plants and back to the atmosphere. Having looked at the roles played by the atmosphere, it is also crucial that we analyze the potential risk that our atmosphere is facing and the effects of atmospheric pollution. From the start of the industrial revolution, the human activity has caused serious alterations in our atmosphere. Strange gasses from industrial chimneys, automotive emissions and aerosols continuously invade and modify their composition. The ozone layer acts as a filter for dangerous ultraviolet radiations that are emitted by the sun. The layer is composed of a gas whose molecules contain three oxygen atoms called ozone. If this thin layer of our stratosphere were to be depleted, the consequences on life forms would be catastrophic. The harmful radiations from the sun would then reach our planet, what that means is that will lead to cases of skin cancer, the weakening of the immune system and also cause numerous upheavals of the vision in human beings. Marine life would also be put in a considerable danger of extinction due to the destruction of phytoplankton. In the year 1974, scientists discovered that chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) is the explanation that goes into the ozone layer disappearance (Author Index). Global warming is as an effect of pollution of the atmosphere, and it is a situation whereby the control here is a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere. Global warming cases are considered as emiting greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFC, and other pollutants. Global warming has its negative effects chief among which is the melting of ice and subsequent rise in the sea level. This means that the polar bear might soon be extinct. Acid rain occurs because of nitrogen and sulfur oxides emissions from thermal electrical power stations and great industrial complexes. They react to the presence of vaporized water in the air to form nitric acid and sulphuric acid. As a result, the rainwater is very contaminated. The acidification of the ground in turn harms several types of farming. The acid water drags off the ground mineral salts of potassium, calcium and magnesium necessary for the growth of plants (Schneider). Acid rain also causes dissolution of metals, corrosion of buildings and monuments and adverse respiratory problems in humans. Lastly, I shall discuss some of the things that we can do in order to conserve our atmosphere. Some of the pollutants of our atmosphere, for example, volcanic eruptions are beyond our limits; there is very little we can do concerning it. However, the instances of human-induced climate change are within our limits; we can try to limit the negative effects caused by industrialization for a better tomorrow. One of the ways we can reduce the effects of industrialization on our atmosphere is by legislation, what this simply means is enacting of laws that dictate how much emissions are acceptable or laws requiring industries to come up with ways of disposing waste effectively without depleting the atmosphere. A contributor to air pollution is the automobile; our cars generate many carbon dioxides, which are harmful to our atmosphere. The green peace initiative is advising us to drive more eco-friendly cars in an attempt to reduce the emission of these harmful gasses (Barry). Factories can use control devices e.g. scrubbers on smoke stacks or chimneys to trap particles and protect against the emission of gasses that cause acid rain. These control measures help remove the pollution at its source. Encourage the use of public modes of transportation rather than personal means, which tend to cause more pollution than the public means e.g. electric trains. Make emphasis on the use of clean energy sources rather than fossil fuels. These clean energy sources include the use of clean technologies like solar power, wind power, and geothermal power (Kallis). Governments could employ an initiative whereby they provide grants to consumers who are interested in installing solar panels in their homes; this will go a long way in curbing atmospheric pollution. In summary, we have seen that the atmosphere as an earth system is of great relevance to our lives and that of other life forms, its fundamental importance, the risks related to its pollution level with considerations of saving the atmosphere. Therefore, its for us really; we need to do all we can to eliminate human-induced climate change so that the atmosphere can in turn sustain us and the future generations of both plants and animals. Works Cited Author Index. Climatic Change 66.3 (2004): 391. Web. Barry, Roger Graham. Climatic Change. Basingstoke: Macmillan Education, 1981. Print. Bolin, Bert. The Greenhouse Effect, Climatic Change, And Ecosystems. Chichester [West Sussex]: Published on behalf of the Scientific Committee on the Problems of the Environment of the International Council of Scientific Unions by Wiley, 1986. Print. Climatic Change Thanks Its Reviewers And Emeritus Editors. Climatic Change 119.2 (2013): 223-237. Web. Giorgi, Filippo. Climate Change Prediction. Climatic Change 73.3 (2005): 239-265. Web. Harington, C. R, and G Rice. Climatic Change In Canada. Ottawa: National Museum of Natural Sciences, 1980. Print. Kallis, Giorgos, and Christos Zografos. Hydro-Climatic Change, Conflict And Security. Climatic Change 123.1 (2013): 69-82. Web. Nolt, John. Casualties As A Moral Measure Of Climate Change. Climatic Change (2014): n. pag. Web. Schneider, Stephen H. Climatic Change Editorial Policy 2006. Climatic Change 74.1-3 (2006): 1-3. Web. Read More