Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The Atmosphere

Early Greeks considered "air" to be one of four elementary substances; along with earth, fire, and water. Air was viewed as a fundamental compound of the universe. Measurements such as temperature and pressure not only help us predict the weather, but also help us look at long-term changes in global climate. Nitrogen takes 78% of the Earth's atmosphere. Oxygen is 21% of the atmosphere. Carbon monoxide is very deadly to humans, animals, and plants.

Constant Components : Nitrogen (N2) 78.08%, Oxygen (O2) 20.95%, Argon (AR) 0.93%, Neon, Helium, Krypton 0.0001%

Variable Components : Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 0.038%, Water Vapor (H2O) 0.4%, Methane (CH4) Trace, Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Trace, Ozone (O3) Trace, Nitrogen Oxides (NO,NO2) Trace

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