Three Ways That the Atmosphere Helps Living Things Survive on Earth
••• BalazsKovacs/iStock/GettyImages
Nonliving Things in a Forest Ecosystem
By Eric Linkenhoker
Without an atmosphere, the Earth would be a rocky planet with no oceans, clouds or life. The mix of gases and conditions in the Earth's atmosphere make life possible. Plants and animals need the gases in the air to survive, and the protection the atmosphere provides helps sustain life as well.
The atmosphere blocks out harmful rays from the sun. The ozone layer, which lies in the stratosphere 11 to 50 kilometers from the Earth's surface, blocks out many harmful forms of radiation. Without the ozone layer, ultraviolet rays would destroy most life on Earth. Gases in the atmosphere also hold in heat. The Earth's average temperatures would fall below the freezing point of water without atmospheric gases to hold enough heat. The balance between blocked radiation and radiation allowed to reach the Earth makes life possible.
The Earth's atmosphere contains water. As water evaporates or is given off by living organisms (respiration in animals, transpiration in plants), it rises through the atmosphere and forms clouds. Wind moves the clouds over the surface of the planet. When the clouds condense into rain, snow or other forms of precipitation, the water falls on the surface of the Earth. In this way, the atmosphere regulates the balance of water on Earth and delivers precipitation to areas that otherwise would not have water.
Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide
Life on Earth needs the atmosphere to breath. Animals take in breathable oxygen from the atmosphere and use it to metabolize food into energy. Plants use carbon dioxide to grow and sustain life. The balance between these two gases is important as well: animals need enough oxygen to breathe and plants need carbon dioxide, but too much carbon dioxide traps heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming.
The atmosphere contains a large amount of nitrogen. Some plants take nitrogen straight from the air and use it to build nutrients needed for growth. Atmospheric wind erodes land so it can be broken down to form life-sustaining soil.
What Are the Three Most Abundant Gases in the Earth's...
Why Is Nitrogen Important for Living Things?
Why Is Water Important for Living Organisms?
How the Atmosphere Protects the Earth
What Are the Solutions to Water Pollution?
Percentage of Nitrogen in the Air
How Does the Earth Receive Heat From the Sun?
What Are Three Things Plants Need to Live?
Importance of the Earth's Atmosphere
What Is the Density of Nitrogen Gas?
One Reason Why Nitrogen is Crucial for Sustaining Life...
How Are Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration Related?
Facts on Convection Currents
What Does Seaweed Need to Live?
Main Types of Ecosystems
Why Is Water So Important to Life on Earth?
The Giraffe's Adaptation in the Grasslands
Five Different Types of Abiotic Factors
The Difference Between CO2 and O2
Astronomy 161 - The Solar System: The Earth's Atmosphere
Vision Learning; The Hydrologic Cycle; Anne E. Egger, Ph.D.; 2003
Living In Virginia, Eric Linkenhoker has written professionally since 2011. His expertise lies in automotive work, stringed instruments and home improvement. He has been published online. Linkenhoker received a Master of Science in English from Radford University with concentrations in American literature and business writing.
What Are the Three Most Abundant Gases in the Earth's Atmosphere?