01Composition of the atmosphere
Earth's atmosphere is mostly nitrogen (about 78%) and oxygen (about 21%), with small amounts of argon, carbon dioxide, water vapour and other gases.
02Layers of the atmosphere
The atmosphere is divided into layers based on temperature and height.
- Troposphere — lowest layer, where we live and where weather happens
- Stratosphere — contains the ozone layer, which absorbs harmful UV radiation
- Mesosphere — where most meteors burn up
- Thermosphere — very thin air, where auroras occur
- Exosphere — outermost layer, fading into space
03The greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gases (like carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour) trap some of the Sun's heat that would otherwise escape back into space, keeping Earth warm enough to support life.
Human activities (like burning fossil fuels) have increased greenhouse gas levels, strengthening this effect and contributing to global warming.
04Weather and climate
Weather describes the day-to-day conditions in the troposphere (temperature, rain, wind, cloud), while climate describes the average weather pattern of a place over many years.
'Climate change' refers to long-term shifts in these average patterns, not single weather events.
| Term | 한국어 | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| atmosphere | 대기 | The layer of gases surrounding Earth |
| troposphere | 대류권 | Lowest atmospheric layer, where weather occurs |
| ozone layer | 오존층 | Stratosphere layer that absorbs harmful UV radiation |
| greenhouse gas | 온실가스 | A gas that traps heat in the atmosphere |
| greenhouse effect | 온실 효과 | Warming caused by trapped heat from the Sun |
| climate | 기후 | The average weather pattern of a place over many years |