The importance of the atmosphere in the existence of the Earth is enormous. If our planet is deprived of its atmosphere, all living organisms will die. Its effect can be compared to the role of glass in a greenhouse, which allows light rays to pass through and does not release heat back. Thus, the atmosphere protects the Earth's surface from excessive heating and cooling.
The importance of the atmosphere for humans
The air envelope of the globe is a protective layer that saves all living things from corpuscular and short-wave solar radiation. All weather conditions in which people live and work arise in the atmospheric environment. Meteorological stations are being created to study this earth's shell. Around the clock, in any weather, meteorologists monitor the state of the lower atmospheric layer and record their observations. Several times a day (in some regions every hour) at the stations, temperature, air humidity, pressure are measured, the presence of cloudiness, wind direction, any sound and electrical phenomena are detected, wind speed and precipitation are measured. Meteorological stations are scattered throughout our planet: in the polar regions, in the tropics, in the highlands, and in the tundra. On the seas and oceans, observations are also made from stations located on specially constructed devices on special-purpose ships. 
Measurements of environmental parameters
Since the beginning of the twentieth century, they began to measure the parameters of the state of the environment in a free atmosphere. For this purpose, radiosondes are launched. They are capable of rising to a height of 25-35 km and using radio equipment to send data on pressure, temperature, wind speed and air humidity to the surface of the Earth. In the modern world, they often resort to the use of meteorological satellites and rockets. They are equipped with television installations that accurately reproduce images of the planet's surface and clouds.
Related materials:
Introduction 2
I. History of climate and its changes 3
1. Early history of climate change on Earth 3
2. Modern climate change 4
3. Human influence on climate 6
II. Atmosphere. Its effect on the human body 9
1. Primary composition of the atmosphere 9
2. Reasons for changes in the gas composition of the atmosphere 9
3. The influence of air pollution on the human body 10
III.Conclusion 14
IV.List of used literature 16
Introduction
The atmosphere is the gaseous shell of the Earth; it is thanks to the atmosphere that the origin and further development of life on our planet became possible. The importance of the atmosphere for the Earth is colossal - the atmosphere will disappear, the planet will disappear. But lately, from television screens and radio speakers, we have been hearing more and more often about the problem of air pollution, the problem of destruction of the ozone layer, and the harmful effects of solar radiation on living organisms, including humans. Here and there, environmental disasters occur that have varying degrees of negative impact on the earth’s atmosphere, directly affecting its gas composition. Unfortunately, we have to admit that with every year of human industrial activity the atmosphere becomes less and less suitable for the normal functioning of living organisms. In my work I strive to consider changes in the atmosphere, climate and the impact on humans
Changes in atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, wind force, and electrical activity affect our well-being and affect the state of forestry, fisheries and agriculture.
We live on a moving rocky surface. In many areas it convulses from time to time. Some troubles are brought by volcanic eruptions and explosions, landslides and avalanches, snow avalanches and water-rock mudflows. We are on a planet where a significant part of the surface is occupied by the World Ocean. Tropical cyclones, hurricanes, and tornadoes rush onto land, causing destruction and torrential torrents. Terrible natural phenomena accompany the entire history of the Earth.
But there are also current weather anomalies that undermine our health. Impermanence is one of the permanent properties of weather. However, its current changes resemble a swing, in which the amplitude of oscillations is constantly increasing. To understand the current state of the climate, it is necessary to take into account its variability in previous centuries and study the influence of all geophysical phenomena on the biosphere, including the human body.
I. History of climate and its changes.
1. Early history of climate change on Earth.
The development of microorganisms similar to modern blue-green algae was the beginning of the end of the reducing atmosphere, and with it the primary climate system. This stage of evolution begins about 3 billion years ago, and possibly earlier, which confirms the age of stromatolite deposits, which are the product of the vital activity of primary unicellular algae.
Noticeable amounts of free oxygen appear about 2.2 billion years ago - the atmosphere becomes oxidizing. This is evidenced by geological milestones: the appearance of sulfate sediments - gypsum, and in particular the development of the so-called red flowers - rocks formed from ancient surface deposits containing iron, which decomposed under the influence of physico-chemical processes and weathering. Red flowers mark the beginning of oxygen weathering of rocks.
It is assumed that about 1.5 billion years ago the oxygen content in the atmosphere reached the “Pasteur point”, i.e. 1/100th of modern. Pasteur's point meant the appearance of aerobic organisms that switched to oxidation during respiration, releasing significantly more energy than during anaerobic fermentation. Dangerous ultraviolet radiation no longer penetrated into water deeper than 1 m, since a very thin ozone layer had formed in the oxygen atmosphere. The atmosphere reached 1/10 of its current oxygen content more than 600 million years ago. The ozone shield became more powerful, and organisms spread throughout the ocean, leading to a veritable explosion of life. Soon, when the first most primitive plants came onto land, the level of oxygen in the atmosphere quickly reached the modern level and even surpassed it. It is assumed that after this “spike” in oxygen content, its damped oscillations continued, which may still occur in our time. Since photosynthetic oxygen is closely related to the consumption of carbon dioxide by organisms, the content of the latter in the atmosphere experienced fluctuations.
Along with changes in the atmosphere, the ocean began to take on other features. The ammonia contained in the water was oxidized, the migration patterns of iron changed, and the sulfur was oxidized into sulfur oxide. The water changed from chloride-sulfide to chloride-carbonate-sulfate. A huge amount of oxygen was dissolved in sea water, almost 1000 times more than in the atmosphere. New dissolved salts appeared. The mass of the ocean continued to grow, but now more slowly than in the early stages, which led to the flooding of the mid-ocean ridges, which were discovered by oceanographers only in the second half of the 20th century.
Over 10 million years, photosynthesis processes a mass of water equal to the entire hydrosphere; In about 4 thousand years, all the oxygen in the atmosphere is renewed, and in just 6–7 years, all the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is absorbed. This means that during the development of the biosphere, all the water of the World Ocean passed through its organisms at least 300 times, and atmospheric oxygen was renewed at least 1 million times.
The ocean is the main absorber of heat coming to the Earth's surface from the Sun. It reflects only 8% of the solar radiation, and 92% is absorbed by its upper layer. 51% of the heat received is spent on evaporation, 42% of the heat leaves the ocean in the form of long-wave radiation, since water, like any heated body, emits thermal (infrared) rays, the remaining 7% of the heat heats the air through direct contact (turbulent exchange). The ocean, heating mainly in tropical latitudes, transfers heat by currents to temperate and polar latitudes and cools.
The average ocean surface temperature is 17.8 °C, which is almost 3 degrees higher than the average air temperature at the surface of the Earth as a whole. The warmest is the Pacific Ocean, the average water temperature is 19.4 °C, and the coldest is the Arctic Ocean (average water temperature: -0.75 °C). The average water temperature of the entire ocean is much lower than the surface temperature - only 5.7 °C, but it is still 22.7 °C higher than the average temperature of the entire earth's atmosphere. From these figures it follows that the ocean acts as the main accumulator of solar heat.
2.Modern climate change.
Instrumental climate observations that began in the 19th century recorded the onset of warming, which continued until the first half of the 20th century. Soviet oceanologist N.M. Knipovich in 1921 revealed that the waters of the Barents Sea became noticeably warmer. In the 1920s, there were many reports of signs of warming in the Arctic. At first it was even believed that this warming affected only the Arctic region. However, later analysis concluded that it was global warming.
Changes in air temperature during the warming period are best studied in the northern hemisphere, where there were relatively many weather stations during this period. However, in the southern hemisphere it was detected quite confidently. The peculiarity of the warming was that in the high polar latitudes of the northern hemisphere it was more clearly and vividly expressed. For certain areas of the Arctic, the temperature increase was quite impressive. Thus, in Western Greenland it increased by 5 °C, and in Spitsbergen even by 8–9 °C over the period from 1912–1926.
The largest global increase in average surface temperature during the warming climax was only 0.6°C, but even this small change was associated with a marked change in the climate system.
Mountain glaciers reacted violently to the warming, retreating everywhere, and the amount of retreat amounted to hundreds of meters. In the Caucasus, for example, the total area of glaciation decreased during this time by 10%, and the thickness of the ice in the glaciers decreased by 50–100 m. The ice islands that existed in the Arctic melted, and in their place only underwater shallows remained. The ice cover of the Arctic Ocean has been greatly reduced, allowing ordinary ships to sail to high latitudes. This situation in the Arctic contributed to the development of the Northern Sea Route. In general, the total area of sea ice during the navigation period at this time decreased by more than 10% compared to the 19th century, i.e. by almost 1 million km2. By 1940, compared to the beginning of the twentieth century. In the Greenland Sea, ice cover has decreased by half, and in the Barents Sea by almost 30%.
Everywhere there was a retreat of the permafrost boundary to the north. In the European part of the USSR, it retreated in places by hundreds of kilometers, the depth of thawing of frozen soils increased, and the temperature of the frozen layer increased by 1.5–2°C.
Warming was accompanied by changes in the humidity of certain areas. Soviet climatologist O.A. Drozdov revealed that during the warming era of the 30s, in areas of insufficient moisture, the number of droughts increased, covering large areas. A comparison of the cold period from 1815 to 1919 and the warm period from 1920 to 1976 showed that every ten years in the first period there was one major drought, while in the second there were two. During the warming period, due to a decrease in precipitation, there was a significant drop in the level of the Caspian Sea and a number of other inland water bodies.
After the 40s, a cooling trend began to appear. Ice in the northern hemisphere began to advance again. This was primarily reflected in the increase in the area of ice cover in the Arctic Ocean. From the beginning of the 40s to the end of the 60s, the ice area in the Arctic basin increased by 10%. Mountain glaciers in the Alps and Caucasus, as well as in the mountains of North America, which had previously retreated rapidly, either slowed down their retreat, or even began to advance again.
In the 60s and 70s, the number of climate anomalies increases. These were the severe winters of 1967 and 1968 in the USSR and three severe winters from 1972 to 1977 in the United States. During the same period, Europe experienced a series of very mild winters. In Eastern Europe in 1972 there was a very severe drought, and in 1976 there was an unusually rainy summer. Other anomalies include an unusually large number of icebergs off the coast of Newfoundland in the summers of 1971–1973, and frequent and severe storms in the North Sea between 1972 and 1976. But the anomalies affected not only the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere. From 1968 to 1973, the worst drought in Africa lasted. Twice, in 1976 and 1979, severe frosts destroyed coffee plantations in Brazil. In Japan, according to meteorological observations, it was established that in the decade 1961–1972. the number of months with unusually low temperatures was twice as high as those with high temperatures, and the number of months with insufficient precipitation was also almost double the number of months with excess precipitation.
The early 1980s were also marked by serious and widespread anomalies. The winter of 1981 and 1982 in the United States and Canada was one of the coldest. Thermometers showed temperatures lower than in the last few decades, and in 75 cities, including Chicago, frosts broke all previous records. The winters of 1983 and 1984 again saw very low temperatures over large areas of the United States, including Florida. It was an unusually cold winter in Great Britain.
In Australia, in the summer of 1982 and 1983, there was one of the most dramatic droughts in the entire history of the continent, called the “great dryness.” It covered the entire eastern and southern part of the continent and was accompanied by severe forest fires. At the same time, China was flooded with rains that lasted for three months. The monsoon season has been delayed in India. Droughts were raging in Indonesia and the Philippines. Strong typhoons swept over the Pacific Ocean. The coast of South America and the arid Midwest of the United States were flooded with rain, which then gave way to drought.
3. Human influence on climate.
Human influence on climate began to manifest itself several thousand years ago in connection with the development of agriculture. In many areas, forest vegetation was destroyed to cultivate the land, which led to an increase in wind speed at the earth's surface, to a change in the temperature and humidity regime of the lower layer of air, to a change in the regime of soil moisture, evaporation and river flow. In relatively dry areas, forest destruction is often accompanied by increased dust storms and soil destruction.
At the same time, the destruction of forests, even over vast areas, has a limited impact on large-scale meteorological processes. A decrease in the roughness of the earth's surface and a slight change in evaporation in areas cleared of forests somewhat changes the precipitation regime, although such a change is relatively small if forests are replaced by other types of vegetation.
A more significant impact on precipitation can be caused by the complete destruction of vegetation cover in a certain area, which has repeatedly occurred as a result of human economic activity. Such cases occurred after deforestation in mountainous areas with poorly developed soil cover. Under these conditions, erosion quickly destroys the soil not protected by forest, as a result of which the further existence of developed vegetation becomes impossible. A similar situation occurs in some areas of dry steppes, where the natural vegetation cover, destroyed due to unlimited grazing of farm animals, is not renewed, and therefore these areas turn into deserts.
Because the earth's surface without vegetation is strongly heated by solar radiation, the relative humidity of the air drops, which increases the level of condensation and can reduce the amount of precipitation. This is probably what explains the cases of non-regeneration of natural vegetation in dry areas after its destruction by humans.
Another way in which human activity influences climate is associated with the use of artificial irrigation. Irrigation has been used in arid areas for many millennia, dating back to ancient civilizations.
The use of irrigation dramatically changes the microclimate of irrigated fields. Due to a slight increase in heat consumption for evaporation, the temperature of the earth's surface decreases, which leads to a decrease in temperature and an increase in the relative humidity of the lower layer of air. However, such a change in the meteorological regime quickly fades outside the irrigated fields, so irrigation leads only to changes in the local climate and has little effect on large-scale meteorological processes.
Other types of human activity in the past did not have a noticeable impact on the meteorological regime of any vast areas, therefore, until recently, the climatic conditions on our planet were determined mainly by natural factors. This situation began to change in the mid-twentieth century due to rapid population growth and, especially, due to the accelerated development of technology and energy.
II. Atmosphere. Its influence on the human body.
1.Primary composition of the atmosphere.
As soon as the Earth cooled, an atmosphere formed around it from the released gases. Unfortunately, it is not possible to determine the exact percentage of elements in the chemical composition of the primary atmosphere, but it can be accurately assumed that the gases included in its composition were similar to those that are now emitted by volcanoes - carbon dioxide, water vapor and nitrogen. “Volcanic gases in the form of superheated water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen, ammonia, acid fumes, noble gases and oxygen formed the proto-atmosphere. At this time, the accumulation of oxygen in the atmosphere did not occur, since it was spent on the oxidation of acidic fumes (HCl, SiO2, H3S)” (1).
There are two theories about the origin of the most important chemical element for life - oxygen. As the Earth cooled, the temperature dropped to about 100° C, most of the water vapor condensed and fell to the earth's surface as the first rain, resulting in the formation of rivers, seas and oceans - the hydrosphere. “The water shell on Earth provided the possibility of accumulating endogenous oxygen, becoming its accumulator and (when saturated) supplier to the atmosphere, which by this time had already been cleared of water, carbon dioxide, acidic fumes, and other gases as a result of past rainstorms.”
Another theory states that oxygen was formed during photosynthesis as a result of the life activity of primitive cellular organisms, when plant organisms settled throughout the Earth, the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere began to increase rapidly. However, many scientists tend to consider both versions without mutual exclusion.
2. Reasons for changes in the gas composition of the atmosphere.
There are many reasons for changes in the gas composition of the atmosphere - the first, and most important, is human activity. The second, oddly enough, is the activity of nature itself.
a) anthropogenic impact. Human activity has a destructive effect on the chemical composition of the atmosphere. During production, carbon dioxide and a number of other greenhouse gases are released into the environment. CO2 emissions from various factories and enterprises are especially dangerous (Fig. 5). “All major cities, as a rule, lie in a layer of dense fog. And not because they are often located in lowlands or near water, but because of condensation nuclei concentrated above cities. In some places, the air is so polluted with particles from exhaust gases and industrial emissions that cyclists are forced to wear masks. These particles serve as condensation nuclei for the fog”(7). Car exhaust gases containing nitrogen oxide, lead, and large amounts of carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide) also have a detrimental effect.
One of the main features of the atmosphere is the presence of an ozone screen. Freons - fluorine containing chemical elements, are widely used in the production of aerosols and refrigerators, have a strong impact on the ozone screen, destroying it.
“Every year, tropical forests are cut down for pasture on an area equal to the size of Iceland, mainly in the Amazon River basin (Brazil). This could lead to a reduction in precipitation because... the amount of moisture evaporated by trees is reduced. Deforestation also contributes to the strengthening of the greenhouse effect, because plants absorb carbon dioxide” (7).
b) natural influence. And nature makes its contribution to the history of the Earth’s atmosphere, mainly by polluting it. “Huge masses of dust are lifted into the air by desert winds. It is carried to great heights and can travel very far. Let's take the same Sahara. The smallest particles of rocks, lifted into the air here, cover the horizon, and the Sun shines dimly through the dusty blanket” (6). But it's not just the winds that are dangerous.
In August 1883, a disaster broke out on one of the islands of Indonesia - the Krakatoa volcano exploded. At the same time, about seven cubic kilometers of volcanic dust were released into the atmosphere. The winds carried this dust to a height of 70-80 km. Only years later did this dust settle.
The appearance of huge amounts of dust in the atmosphere is also caused by meteorites falling to the Earth. When they hit the earth's surface, they raise huge masses of dust into the air.
Also, ozone holes periodically appear and disappear in the atmosphere - holes in the ozone screen. Many scientists consider this phenomenon a natural process of development of the geographical envelope of the Earth.
3. The influence of air pollution on the human body.
Our planet is surrounded by an air shell - an atmosphere, which extends over the Earth for 1500 - 2000 km. However, this boundary is conditional, since traces of atmospheric air were also found at an altitude of 20,000 km.
The presence of an atmosphere is a necessary condition for the existence of life on Earth, since the atmosphere regulates the Earth’s climate and also smoothes out daily temperature fluctuations on the planet. Currently, the average temperature of the Earth's surface is 140C. The atmosphere allows radiation from the sun to pass through and heat to pass through. Clouds, rain, snow, and wind form in it. It is the carrier of moisture on Earth and the medium through which sound travels.
The atmosphere serves as a source of oxygen respiration, a container for gaseous metabolic products, and affects heat exchange and other functions of living organisms. Of primary importance for the life of the body are oxygen and nitrogen, the content of which in the atmospheric air is 21 and 78%, respectively.
Oxygen is necessary for the respiration of most living things (with the exception of only a small number of anaerobic microorganisms). Nitrogen is part of proteins and nitrogenous compounds. Carbon dioxide is a source of carbon in organic substances, the most important component of these compounds.
During the day, a person inhales about 12 - 15 m3 of oxygen and emits approximately 580 liters of carbon dioxide. Therefore, atmospheric air is one of the main vital elements of the environment. It should be noted that at a distance from sources of pollution, the chemical composition of the atmosphere is quite stable. However, as a result of human economic activity, pockets of pronounced air pollution have appeared in those areas where large industrial centers are located. Here in the atmosphere there is the presence of solid and gaseous substances that have an adverse effect on the living conditions and health of the population.
To date, a lot of scientific data has accumulated that air pollution, especially in large cities, has reached levels dangerous to human health. There are many known cases of illness and even death of residents of cities of industrial centers as a result of emissions of toxic substances by industrial enterprises and transport under certain meteorological conditions.
Silicon dioxide and free silicon contained in fly ash are the cause of a serious lung disease - silicosis, which develops in workers in "dusty" professions, for example, in miners, workers in coke, coal, cement and a number of other enterprises. The lung tissue takes over the connective tissue, and these areas cease to function. Children living near powerful power plants that are not equipped with dust collectors show changes in the lungs similar to forms of silicosis. Heavy air pollution with smoke and soot, which continues for several days, can cause fatal poisoning.
Air pollution has a particularly detrimental effect on humans in cases where meteorological conditions contribute to air stagnation over the city. Harmful substances contained in the atmosphere affect the human body upon contact with the surface of the skin or mucous membranes. Along with the respiratory system, pollutants affect the organs of vision and smell, and by affecting the mucous membrane of the larynx, they can cause spasms of the vocal cords. Inhaled solid and liquid particles measuring 0.6 - 1.0 microns reach the alveoli and are absorbed in the blood, some accumulate in the lymph nodes.
Polluted air mostly irritates the respiratory tract, causing bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma. Irritants that cause these diseases include sulfur dioxide (SO2) and sulfuric anhydride (SO3), nitrogen oxides, hydrogen chloride (HCl), hydrogen sulfide (H3S), phosphorus and its compounds.
Signs and consequences of air pollutants on the human body manifest themselves mostly in a deterioration in general health: headaches, nausea, a feeling of weakness, decreased or lost ability to work. Certain pollutants cause specific symptoms of poisoning. For example, chronic phosphorus poisoning is accompanied by pain in the gastrointestinal tract and yellowing of the skin. These symptoms are associated with loss of appetite and slow metabolism. In the future, phosphorus poisoning leads to deformation of bones, which become increasingly fragile. The body's resistance as a whole decreases.
Carbon monoxide (II), (CO), a colorless and odorless gas, affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems, causing asphyxiation. The primary symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning (headache) occur in a person after 2–3 hours of exposure to an atmosphere containing 200–220 mg/m3 CO. At higher concentrations of carbon monoxide, a feeling of blood pulsation in the temples and dizziness appear. The toxicity of carbon monoxide increases in the presence of nitrogen in the air; in this case, the concentration of CO in the air must be reduced by 1.5 times.
Nitrogen oxides (NO, N2O3, NO2, N2O). Mostly nitrogen dioxide NO2 is emitted into the atmosphere - a colorless, odorless poisonous gas that irritates the respiratory system. Nitrogen oxides are especially dangerous in cities, where they interact with hydrocarbons in exhaust gases and form photochemical fog - smog. The first symptom of nitrogen oxide poisoning is a slight cough. When NO2 concentration increases, severe coughing, vomiting, and sometimes headache occur. When in contact with the moist surface of the mucous membranes, nitrogen oxides form nitric and nitrous acids (HNO3 and HNO2), which leads to pulmonary edema.
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) - a colorless gas with a pungent odor - even in small concentrations (20 - 30 mg/m3) creates an unpleasant taste in the mouth, irritates the mucous membranes of the eyes and the respiratory tract. Inhalation of SO2 causes pain in the lungs and respiratory tract, sometimes leading to swelling of the lungs, pharynx and respiratory paralysis.
Hydrocarbons (gasoline vapor, methane, etc.) have narcotic effects, in small concentrations they cause headaches, dizziness, etc. Thus, when inhaling gasoline vapors at a concentration of 600 mg/m3 for 8 hours, headaches and cough occur , discomfort in the throat. Particularly dangerous are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of type 3, 4 - benzopyrene (C20H22), formed during incomplete combustion of fuel. According to some scientists, they have carcinogenic properties.
Aldehydes. With prolonged exposure, aldehydes cause irritation of the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory tract, and with increasing concentrations - headache, weakness, loss of appetite, and insomnia.
Lead compound. Approximately 50% of lead compounds enter the body through the respiratory system. Exposure to lead disrupts hemoglobin synthesis, leading to diseases of the respiratory tract, genitourinary organs, and nervous system. Lead compounds are especially dangerous for young children. In large cities, the lead content in the atmosphere reaches 5–38 mg/m3, which is 10,000 times higher than the natural background.
The dispersed composition of dust and mists determines the overall penetration capacity of harmful substances into the human body. Particularly dangerous are toxic fine dust particles with a particle size of 0.5 - 1.0 microns, which easily penetrate the respiratory system.
Finally, various manifestations of discomfort due to air pollution - unpleasant odors, decreased light levels, etc. - have a psychological effect on people.
Harmful substances in the atmosphere and falling out also affect animals. They accumulate in animal tissues and can become a source of poisoning if the meat of these animals is used as food.
Conclusion.
Due to industrial activities of man and nature, the Earth's atmosphere is polluted by various substances ranging from dust to complex chemical compounds. The result of this is, first of all, global warming and the destruction of the planet’s ozone screen. Small changes in atmospheric chemistry appear to be insignificant for the atmosphere as a whole. But it should be recalled that rare gases that make up the atmosphere can have a significant impact on climate and weather.
Looking at the modern technosphere, one can come to despair. Just over the last 100 years, people have created monstrously huge herds of mechanical “horses” and “birds” with colossal power and speed, but this is not a benefit to people and the nature of the Earth, but a disaster.
The media of mass propaganda intimidate the television crowd with external material natural disasters. But in reality, a grandiose and tragic internal man-made disaster of modern civilization is happening. The spiritual world of man is degrading. And this collapse is worse and more real than a nuclear war.
The crisis of modern bourgeois civilization is determined by the fact that it is oriented towards the encouragement of vices, base feelings and aspirations, and the maximum consumption of material values. It is possible to overcome this, but it is difficult to imagine that everything will happen by itself and insight will descend on people. The mechanical structure of the technosphere is too strong, turning a person into its slave, who should not have spiritual freedom.
If the Universe is dominated by dead matter, if the biosphere does not possess the properties of life and intelligence, then the existence of not only the individual, but also the entire human race has absolutely no meaning. Then we, and all living organisms, are products of random combinations of atoms, and the harmony of nature is an illusion, because it is a consequence of a big explosion of something that burst like a soap bubble.
The climate is constantly getting worse. This is the result of people's management. The landscapes of the planet over vast areas have changed, natural zones have been displaced. The number of factors is constantly increasing that confirm the colossal importance of global technical human activity in the formation of the surrounding nature that we observe.
In order to accurately assess the current impacts of technogenesis on the climate and identify the main negative factors, one must be sure that we are talking about early processes, and not about natural weather variations.
Gradual changes in climate are almost impossible to detect. Of course, if you live in one area for a long time, you can roughly note the general pattern of climate change by comparing individual seasons and remembering weather anomalies. But even here too much depends on likes and dislikes, events in personal and social life. In everything related to climate, one has to rely on expert estimates.
Increasing fever and destabilization of weather and climate are equally harmful to agriculture, industry, settlements, and human health. This is the true number one danger. And although experts are studying the problem of global warming, one should keep in mind, first of all, climate fever, which threatens major global catastrophes.
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The message “Earth's Atmosphere” will briefly talk about the gaseous envelope around our planet. Also, a report on the topic “Atmosphere” will help you prepare for the lesson and deepen your knowledge in the field of geography.
Message on the topic “Atmosphere”
Atmosphere is a gaseous shell that surrounds our planet and rotates with the Earth. It is studied by the branches of chemistry and physics, united under the general name of atmospheric physics. With the help of the atmosphere, the weather on the surface of the Earth is determined, and meteorology deals with the study of weather conditions, and climatology deals with climate variations. The thickness of the shell is 1500 km from the surface of the planet.
The structure of the atmosphere
Physical condition is determined by climate and weather. Basic atmospheric parameters: pressure, air density, composition and temperature. As altitude increases, atmospheric pressure and air density decrease. Temperature also changes with altitude. The vertical structure of the gas shell is characterized by different electrical and temperature properties and a variety of air conditions.
There are main layers in the atmosphere that are determined by temperature:
- Troposphere. This is the main, lower, most studied layer of the atmosphere. It is located at an altitude of 8-10 km in the polar regions, up to 10-12 km in temperate latitudes, up to 16-18 km at the equator. It contains 80-90% of water vapor. Convection and turbulence are developed. Anticyclones and cyclones develop here, and clouds appear.
- Stratosphere. It is located at an altitude of 11-50 km. Characterized by stable temperature. The ozonosphere layer is located here at an altitude of 15-20 to 55-60 km, which determines the limit of life in the biosphere. The stratosphere traps short-wavelength ultraviolet radiation. It transforms the energy of short waves.
- Mesosphere. Located at an altitude of 50 – 90 km.
- Thermosphere. It starts at an altitude of 90 km and covers 800 km.
- Exosphere. This is the outer part of the thermosphere, the dispersion zone. Located at an altitude above 800 km. Since the gas is very rarefied, some of it flows into interplanetary space. At an altitude of 2000-3000 km it passes into the near-space vacuum, filled with particles of rarefied interplanetary gas - hydrogen atoms, dust particles of meteoric and cometary origin.
There are also transitional atmospheric regions between the shells, which are called tropopause, stratopause, mesopause, thermopause, exopause.
The atmosphere is divided into heterosphere and homosphere depending on the composition of the gas. The heterosphere is the region in which gravity affects the separation of gases. Below it lies a homogeneous part of the atmosphere - the homosphere. Between these layers there is a boundary called the turbopause, located at an altitude of 120 km.
Atmosphere pressure
There is also atmospheric pressure in the atmosphere. It affects all objects located in it and the surface of the planet. Normal atmospheric pressure does not exceed 760 mm Hg. Art. With increasing altitude, the pressure drops by 100 mm with every kilometer.
Atmospheric composition
The atmosphere is a shell of air that mainly consists of gases and impurities such as water droplets, ice crystals, dust, combustion products and sea salts. Their number is not constant. The main components of the atmosphere are nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), argon (0.93%). In addition to them, it contains hydrocarbons, CH 4, NH 3, SO 2, CO, HF, HC 1, I 2 pairs, Hg and NO. The troposphere contains a lot of aerosol (liquid particles) and suspended solids.
We hope that the report on the atmosphere helped you prepare for the lesson, and you learned a lot of useful information about it. You can leave your message about the atmosphere using the comment form below.
He is invisible, and yet we cannot live without him.
Each of us understands how necessary air is for life. The expression “It is as necessary as air” can be heard when talking about something very important for a person’s life. We know from childhood that living and breathing are practically the same thing.
Do you know how long a person can live without air?
Not all people know how much air they breathe. It turns out that in a day, taking about 20,000 breaths and exhalations, a person passes 15 kg of air through his lungs, while he absorbs only about 1.5 kg of food and 2-3 kg of water. At the same time, air is something we take for granted, like the sunrise every morning. Unfortunately, we only feel it when there is not enough of it, or when it is polluted. We forget that all life on Earth, developing over millions of years, has adapted to life in an atmosphere of a certain natural composition.
Let's see what air consists of.
And let's conclude: Air is a mixture of gases. Oxygen in it is about 21% (approximately 1/5 by volume), nitrogen accounts for about 78%. The remaining required components are inert gases (primarily argon), carbon dioxide, and other chemical compounds.
The study of the composition of air began in the 18th century, when chemists learned to collect gases and conduct experiments with them. If you are interested in the history of science, watch a short film dedicated to the history of the discovery of air.
The oxygen contained in the air is required for the respiration of living organisms. What is the essence of the breathing process? As you know, in the process of breathing the body consumes oxygen from the air. Air oxygen is required for numerous chemical reactions that continuously occur in all cells, tissues and organs of living organisms. During these reactions, with the participation of oxygen, those substances that came with food slowly “burn” to form carbon dioxide. At the same time, the energy contained in them is released. Due to this energy, the body exists, using it for all functions - the synthesis of substances, muscle contraction, the functioning of all organs, etc.
In nature, there are also some microorganisms that can use nitrogen in the process of life. Due to the carbon dioxide contained in the air, the process of photosynthesis occurs and the Earth's biosphere as a whole lives.
As you know, the air envelope of the Earth is called the atmosphere. The atmosphere extends approximately 1000 km from the Earth - it is a kind of barrier between the Earth and space. According to the nature of temperature changes in the atmosphere, there are several layers:
Atmosphere- This is a kind of barrier between Earth and space. It softens the effects of cosmic radiation and provides conditions on Earth for the development and existence of life. It is the atmosphere of the first of the earth's shells that meets the sun's rays and absorbs the hard ultraviolet radiation of the Sun, which has a detrimental effect on all living organisms.
Another “merit” of the atmosphere is related to the fact that it almost completely absorbs the Earth’s own invisible thermal (infrared) radiation and returns most of it back. That is, the atmosphere, transparent to the sun’s rays, at the same time represents an air “blanket” that does not allow the Earth to cool. Thus, our planet maintains an optimal temperature for the life of a variety of living beings.
The composition of the modern atmosphere is unique, the only one in our planetary system.
The Earth's primary atmosphere consisted of methane, ammonia and other gases. Along with the development of the planet, the atmosphere changed significantly. Living organisms played a leading role in the formation of the composition of atmospheric air that arose and is maintained with their participation at the present time. You can look in more detail at the history of the formation of the atmosphere on Earth.
Natural processes of both consumption and formation of atmospheric components approximately balance each other, that is, they ensure a constant composition of the gases that make up the atmosphere.
Without human economic activity, nature copes with such phenomena as the entry into the atmosphere of volcanic gases, smoke from natural fires, and dust from natural dust storms. These emissions disperse into the atmosphere, settle, or fall to the Earth's surface as precipitation. Soil microorganisms are taken for them, and ultimately process them into carbon dioxide, sulfur and nitrogen compounds of the soil, that is, into the “ordinary” components of air and soil. This is the reason why atmospheric air has, on average, a constant composition. With the appearance of man on Earth, first gradually, then rapidly and now threateningly, the process of changing the gas composition of the air and destroying the natural stability of the atmosphere began.About 10,000 years ago, people learned to use fire. Combustion products of various types of fuel have been added to natural sources of pollution. At first it was wood and other types of plant material.
Currently, the most harmful to the atmosphere is caused by artificially produced fuel - petroleum products (gasoline, kerosene, diesel oil, fuel oil) and synthetic fuel. When burned, they form nitrogen and sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, heavy metals and other toxic substances of non-natural origin (pollutants).
Considering the huge scale of technology use these days, one can imagine how many engines of cars, airplanes, ships and other equipment are generated every second. killed the atmosphere Aleksashina I.Yu., Kosmodamiansky A.V., Oreshchenko N.I. Natural science: Textbook for 6th grade of general education institutions. – St. Petersburg: SpetsLit, 2001. – 239 p. .
Why are trolleybuses and trams considered environmentally friendly modes of transport compared to buses?
Particularly dangerous for all living things are those stable aerosol systems that are formed in the atmosphere along with acidic and many other gaseous industrial wastes. Europe is one of the most densely populated and industrialized parts of the world. A powerful transport system, large industry, high consumption of fossil fuels and mineral raw materials lead to a noticeable increase in the concentrations of pollutants in the air. In almost all major cities of Europe there is smog Smog is an aerosol consisting of smoke, fog and dust, one of the types of air pollution in large cities and industrial centers. For more details see: http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smog and increased levels of dangerous pollutants such as nitrogen and sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, benzene, phenols, fine dust, etc. are regularly recorded in the air.
There is no doubt that there is a direct connection between the increase in the content of harmful substances in the atmosphere and the increase in allergic and respiratory diseases, as well as a number of other diseases.
Serious measures are needed in connection with the increase in the number of cars in cities and the industrial development planned in a number of Russian cities, which will inevitably increase the amount of pollutant emissions into the atmosphere.
See how the problems of air purity are being solved in the “green capital of Europe” - Stockholm.
A set of measures to improve air quality must necessarily include improving the environmental performance of cars; construction of gas purification systems at industrial enterprises; the use of natural gas, rather than coal, as fuel in energy enterprises. Now in every developed country there is a service for monitoring the state of air cleanliness in cities and industrial centers, which has somewhat improved the current bad situation. Thus, in St. Petersburg there is an automated system for monitoring the atmospheric air of St. Petersburg (ASM). Thanks to it, not only state authorities and local governments, but also city residents can learn about the state of the atmospheric air.
The health of residents of St. Petersburg - a metropolis with a developed network of transport highways - is influenced, first of all, by the main pollutants: carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide, suspended substances (dust), sulfur dioxide, which enter the atmospheric air of the city from emissions from thermal power plants, industry, and transport. Currently, the share of emissions from motor vehicles is 80% of the total emissions of major pollutants. (According to expert estimates, in more than 150 cities of Russia, motor transport has the predominant influence on air pollution).
How are things going in your city? What do you think can and should be done to make the air in our cities cleaner?
Information is provided on the level of air pollution in the areas where AFM stations are located in St. Petersburg.
It must be said that in St. Petersburg there has been a trend toward a decrease in emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere, but the reasons for this phenomenon are associated primarily with a decrease in the number of operating enterprises. It is clear that from an economic point of view this is not the best way to reduce pollution.
Let's draw conclusions.
The air shell of the Earth - the atmosphere - is necessary for the existence of life. The gases that make up the air are involved in such important processes as respiration and photosynthesis. The atmosphere reflects and absorbs solar radiation and thus protects living organisms from harmful X-rays and ultraviolet rays. Carbon dioxide traps thermal radiation from the earth's surface. The Earth's atmosphere is unique! Our health and life depend on it.
Man mindlessly accumulates waste from his activities in the atmosphere, which causes serious environmental problems. We all need to not only realize our responsibility for the state of the atmosphere, but also, to the best of our ability, do what we can to preserve the cleanliness of the air, the basis of our lives.
Man lives in the lower layers of the troposphere. Phenomena occurring in the atmosphere have a direct impact on it. Many of them are dangerous to life. Therefore, depending on the type and frequency of certain atmospheric phenomena in different regions of the Earth, people are distributed differently across the planet.
People have historically lived in places with more favorable climates. Where there are no too high or low temperatures, where there is sufficient rainfall and no prolonged droughts, where there are no frequent atmospheric phenomena harmful to humans.
However, humans are widely dispersed throughout the Earth. You could say he lives everywhere. In addition, even in the most favorable places for life, dangerous atmospheric phenomena occur.
Atmospheric phenomena dangerous to humans and their activities include droughts, heavy rains, hurricanes, hail, thunderstorms and ice.
When it doesn't rain for a long time and the air temperature is high enough, drought occurs. A person can live during a drought, but it leads to water shortages and crop loss, since there is not enough moisture in the soil. Since there are still many poor countries in the world in which the lives of the population directly depend on annual harvests, drought is still considered the most dangerous atmospheric phenomenon.
Heavy rains can lead to floods, dam collapses, and rivers overflowing their banks. All this destroys people’s buildings and damages agricultural land.
During a hurricane, wind strength can exceed 100 m/s. At this speed, the air destroys residential buildings and communication lines. With the help of artificial Earth satellites, humanity can monitor the formation of hurricanes, determine their route of movement and, therefore, warn the population about the danger. Hurricanes often originate in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans at 10-20° latitudes and then move towards the continents.
In Asia and the Pacific Islands, hurricanes are called typhoons.
Thunderstorms are dangerous due to the lightning that occurs during them. Lightning is a strong electrical discharge between clouds or between a cloud and the ground. Usually on earth lightning strikes some hill. Therefore, during thunderstorms, you should not stand on hills, under trees or other towering objects.
Ice forms after thaws in winter and is a crust of ice on the surface. On the roads, it leads to car skidding, and power lines may be cut.
