Gas components of atmosphere
Gas components of atmosphere diagram
Main components of atmosphere...
Atmosphere
Look up. Way up. The clouds you see in the sky, the wind that is moving the trees or the flag in your school yard, even the sunshine you feel on your face—these are all a result of Earth’s atmosphere.
Earth’s atmosphere stretches from the surface of the planet up to as far as 10,000 kilometers (6,214 miles) above.
Gas components of atmosphere
After that, the atmosphere blends into space. Not all scientists agree where the actual upper boundary of the atmosphere is, but they can agree that the bulk of the atmosphere is located close to Earth’s surface—up to a distance of around eight to 15 kilometers (five to nine miles).
While oxygen is necessary for most life on Earth, the majority of Earth’s atmosphere is not oxygen.
Earth’s atmosphere is composed of about 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, 0.9 percent argon, and 0.1 percent other gases. Trace amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and neon are some of the other gases that make up the remaining 0.1 percent.
The atmosphere is divi