Atmospheric air is the most important life support natural environment and is a mixture of gases and aerosols of the surface layer of the atmosphere, formed during the evolution of the Earth, human activity and located outside residential, industrial and other premises. The results of environmental studies, both in Russia and abroad, clearly indicate that ground-level atmospheric pollution is the most powerful, constantly acting factor affecting humans, food chain and the environment. Atmospheric air has unlimited capacity and plays the role of the most mobile, chemically aggressive and pervasive interaction agent near the surface of the components of the biosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere.
The atmosphere has an intense impact not only on humans and biota, but also on the hydrosphere, soil and vegetation cover, geological environment, buildings, structures and other man-made objects. Therefore, the protection of atmospheric air and the ozone layer is the highest priority environmental problem and is given close attention in all developed countries.
Polluted ground atmosphere causes lung, throat and skin cancer, central nervous system disorder nervous system, allergic and respiratory diseases, defects in newborns and many other diseases, the list of which is determined by the pollutants present in the air and their combined effect on the human body. The results of special studies carried out in Russia and abroad have shown that there is a close positive relationship between the health of the population and the quality of atmospheric air. (Chernova N.M. 1997)
The purpose of this work is to study the influence of Chelny Khleb CJSC on the atmosphere.
To achieve this goal, the following tasks were solved:
1. Study of the production activities of an enterprise as a source of air pollution.
2. Study of the qualitative and quantitative composition of pollutants.
3. Study of measures to protect the atmosphere of Chelny Khleb CJSC.
4. Study of environmental protection measures of Chelny Khleb CJSC.
Without an atmosphere, life on Earth would be impossible. From the atmosphere, when we breathe, we draw oxygen, which is necessary for the life of almost any organism. Fortunately, there is a huge amount of oxygen in the atmosphere, which is constantly replenished by photosynthetic plants.
But we need the atmosphere around us not only as a source of oxygen. It provides and exclusively favorable conditions for life on Earth in general. A thick layer of the earth’s atmosphere protects life bubbling on its surface from the direct influence of Space, in which our Earth floats as an insignificant grain of sand.
The atmosphere is missing Sun rays, when the Sun is shining, but does not allow the Earth to part with the heat it receives when the Sun sets. Thereby average temperature the surface of our planet reaches plus 14°C, and temperature fluctuations do not exceed 100°C.
As a result of uneven heating of the atmosphere, air currents and winds arise in it. Thanks to them, temperature and humidity are equalized, clouds and clouds are transferred from place to place, and the cycles of water and many other substances that are so necessary for all living things are maintained. (Mizun Yu.G., 1994)
The atmosphere - the air envelope of the globe - has a heterogeneous, layered structure. Up to an altitude of 16-18 km above the equator and 1-10 km above the poles, the air is most dense. This layer, in which 4/5 of the total mass of the atmosphere is concentrated, is called the troposphere. The weather is connected with the neck. In this layer, almost all the diversity of life forms exists, and therefore it is the troposphere (more precisely, its lower part) that is classified as the biosphere. Land dwellers live their lives in contact with the troposphere.
Above the troposphere, the stratosphere (up to altitudes of approximately 46-48 km), mesosphere (up to 80 km) and thermosphere (above 80 km) are distinguished. As altitude increases, atmospheric pressure and air density decrease rapidly.
With increasing altitude, temperature and chemical composition air.
The gas (chemical) composition of atmospheric air is also heterogeneous. The most interesting for us is the composition of the air in the lower, ground layers of the troposphere, which we directly breathe. It is determined by the following ratio of gases as a percentage of volume: Nitrogen - 78.08; Oxygen - 20.95; Argon - 0.92; Carbon dioxide - 0.03. 0.02, gases at the impurity level: Xenon, Hydrogen, Neon, Helium, Krypton, Radon, Iodine, Ozone, Methane, Carbon disulfide.
The chemical (gas) composition of the atmosphere does not change significantly up to an altitude of 100 km. Somewhat higher, the atmosphere also consists mainly of nitrogen and oxygen, but at altitudes of 90-100 km atomic oxygen appears, above 110-120 km almost all oxygen becomes atomic.
Under influence ultraviolet rays At an altitude of 10-60 km, ozone is formed, the maximum concentrations of which are located at an altitude of 22-25 km. It is he who mainly absorbs ultraviolet rays, playing an important role in the existence of life.
Considering the composition of air, it is necessary to note the presence of atmospheric dust in it - its permanent component. Atmospheric dust has great importance for the life of flora and fauna. Dust absorbs direct solar radiation and protects living organisms from it. harmful influence. Dust also diffuses direct sunlight, creating more uniform illumination of the Earth's surface. In addition, it promotes condensation of water vapor in the atmosphere, and consequently the formation of precipitation.
In the air of the troposphere there is another very important component for life on Earth - water, or rather its vapor. The amount of water vapor is very variable over time, geographical latitude and serves as an important characteristic of climate (from 0 to 4% by volume). Most often, the content of water vapor in the air is expressed in terms of relative humidity. The fact is that the higher the temperature, the greater the ability of air to accumulate vapors of liquids (at 30°C, 1m3 of air can contain 30 g of water; at -20°C - 0.5 g). If the amount of vapor exceeds the “capacity” of the air, for example due to a drop in temperature, then their excess begins to condense in the form of droplets, which explains the formation of fogs, clouds, and steam. Usually, the amount of water vapor is somewhat less and relative humidity is the ratio of the actual amount of water vapor to the maximum possible at a given temperature, expressed as a percentage. The humidity range from 30 to 60% is considered optimal for humans. (Torsuev N.P., 1997)
The three gases that make up the atmosphere are of greatest importance for various ecosystems: oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. These gases are involved in major biogeochemical cycles.
Oxygen plays a vital role in the life of most living organisms on our planet. Everyone needs it to breathe. The modern atmosphere contains barely a twentieth of the oxygen available on our planet. The main reserves of oxygen are concentrated in carbonates, organic substances and iron oxides, some of the oxygen is dissolved in water. In the atmosphere, there appears to be an approximate balance between the production of oxygen through photosynthesis and its consumption by living organisms. But in Lately there was a danger that as a result human activity oxygen reserves in the atmosphere may decrease. Particularly dangerous is the destruction of the ozone layer, which is observed in last years. Most scientists attribute this to human activity.
Carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide) is used in the process of photosynthesis to form organic matter. It is thanks to this process that the carbon cycle in the biosphere closes. Like oxygen, carbon is part of soils, plants, animals, and participates in various mechanisms of the cycle of substances in nature. Content carbon dioxide in the air we breathe is approximately the same in different parts of the planet. The exception is big cities, in which the content of this gas in the air is higher than normal.
Some fluctuations in the carbon dioxide content in the air of an area depend on the time of day, season of the year, and vegetation biomass. At the same time, studies show that since the beginning of the century, the average content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, although slowly, has been constantly increasing. Scientists attribute this process mainly to human activity.
Nitrogen is an essential biogenic element, since it is part of proteins and nucleic acids. The atmosphere is an inexhaustible reservoir of nitrogen, but the majority of living organisms cannot directly use this nitrogen: it must first be bound in the form of chemical compounds.
Partial nitrogen comes from the atmosphere into ecosystems in the form of nitrogen oxide, which is formed under the influence of electrical discharges during thunderstorms. However, the bulk of nitrogen enters water and soil as a result of its biological fixation. There are several species of bacteria and blue-green algae (fortunately very numerous) that are capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen. As a result of their activity, as well as due to the decomposition of organic residues in the soil, autotrophic plants are able to absorb the necessary nitrogen.
Other components of air do not participate in biochemical cycles. (Kriksunov E.A., 1997.)
The end of the term is always a time of trouble for caring parents. :) Since I think it’s a shame to have a 4 in geography, I decided to improve my son in this subject and teach him a short lesson explaining to him what is called atmosphere and what its role is. By the way, the efforts were not in vain, and my son is getting an “A”!
First you need to figure out what it is. So, this is the lightest shell of all, but its role in all processes on our planet is very significant. It is heterogeneous- the higher you are from the surface of the planet, the more discharged it is, as a result of which its composition also changes. Science considers this shell in the form of several layers:
Firstly, thanks to her it became possible emergence of life. Animals cannot survive without oxygen, and plants cannot support life without another gas - carbon dioxide. It is necessary for plants main component of the photosynthesis process, as a result of which the oxygen necessary for animals is produced. It should be noted special importance this shell is like a shield that counteracts solar radiation and meteors - they simply burn up in its thickness. It acts as a heat regulator, leveling temperature fluctuations: excessive overheating during the day and hypothermia at night. It’s like she’s covering our planet with a blanket, delaying back radiation of heat.
Due to the fact that the planet warms up unevenly, pressure drops occur, which cause occurrence of winds and weather changes. Winds participate in processes called “weathering,” forming various relief zones. In addition, without it, another extremely important process would be impossible - the water cycle, thanks to which clouds form and precipitation falls.
Thus, the meaning of atmosphere is as follows:
Question 1. What is air?
Air is a natural mixture of gases (mainly nitrogen and oxygen - 98-99%, as well as argon, carbon dioxide, water, hydrogen), forming the earth's atmosphere.
Question 2. What is the role of the air shell for our planet?
The air shell of our planet - the atmosphere - protects living organisms on the earth's surface from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation from the Sun and other harsh cosmic radiation. Protects the Earth from meteorites and cosmic dust. The atmosphere also serves as a “clothing” that prevents the loss of heat radiated by the Earth into space. Atmospheric air is the source of respiration for humans, animals and vegetation.
Question 3. What is the importance of the atmosphere in the life of our planet?
Protects the Earth from meteorites and cosmic dust. The atmosphere also serves as a “clothing” that prevents the loss of heat radiated by the Earth into space. Atmospheric air is the source of respiration for humans, animals and vegetation. The ozone layer has a special role for all life on Earth, which protects living organisms from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.
Question 4. What gases does air consist of?
The atmosphere is a mixture of gases, in which 78% is nitrogen, about 21% is oxygen, and 1% is other gases, including carbon dioxide and water vapor.
Question 5: What clouds can you observe?
There are cirrus, stratus and cumulus clouds.
Question 6. What is wind?
The movement of air along the Earth's surface is called wind. The wind may blow in different directions and with at different speeds. The higher the wind speed, the greater its strength.
Question 7. Why does a thunderstorm occur?
It occurs when multiple electrical discharges - lightning - occur between powerful rain clouds or between clouds and the ground. Electric sparks, piercing the air, instantly heat it up, it expands sharply, producing a loud noise, and we hear a clap of thunder.
Question 8. What is weather? What indicators of the state of the atmosphere are reported in weather forecasts broadcast on radio and television?
Weather is the state of the lower layer of the atmosphere in a given place and at a given moment. The weather is characterized by temperature, humidity, cloudiness, wind direction and speed, and precipitation.
Question 9. What is climate? How is it different from the weather?
Each area is characterized by certain types of weather and their changes, i.e. weather regime. The long-term weather pattern is called climate. Climate, like weather, includes the most important characteristics atmospheric conditions: temperature, humidity, cloudiness, precipitation, winds.
Weather is a one-time state of nature, and climate is constant for a given area.
Question 10. What climate is typical for your area: cold, moderate or hot; dry or wet?
Our area is characterized by a temperate climate.
Question 11: Are hurricanes common in your area? Why are they dangerous?
There are no hurricanes in our area. Hurricanes are usually accompanied by heavy rains, leading to flooding. All this brings great destruction and leads to casualties.
Question 12: Describe the weather today.
Air temperature – 5 degrees Celsius, low humidity, slightly cloudy. Wind speed 3.1 m/s, direction – southwest. No precipitation is expected.
The role of the Earth's atmosphere
The atmosphere is the lightest geosphere of the Earth, however, its influence on many earthly processes is very great.
Let's start with the fact that it was thanks to the atmosphere that the origin and existence of life on our planet became possible. Modern animals cannot do without oxygen, and most plants, algae and cyanobacteria cannot do without carbon dioxide. Oxygen is used by animals for respiration, carbon dioxide is used by plants during photosynthesis, which creates necessary for plants for life activity complex organic substances, such as various carbon compounds, carbohydrates, amino acids, fatty acids.
Important for the normal functioning of organisms on Earth is the role of the atmosphere as a protector of our planet from ultraviolet and X-ray radiation from the Sun, cosmic rays, and meteors. The overwhelming majority of radiation is retained by the upper layers of the atmosphere - the stratosphere and mesosphere, as a result of which such amazing electrical phenomena as auroras appear. The rest, a smaller part of the radiation, is scattered. Here in upper layers atmosphere, meteors also burn up, which we can observe in the form of small “falling stars”.
Different areas on Earth heat up unevenly. Low latitudes of our planet, i.e. areas with a subtropical and tropical climate receive much more heat from the Sun than average and high areas with a temperate and arctic (Antarctic) type of climate. Continents and oceans heat up differently. If the former heat up and cool much faster, the latter absorb heat for a long time, but at the same time give it away for just as long. As is known warm air is lighter than cold, and therefore rises. Its place at the surface is taken by cold, heavier air. This is how the wind is formed and the weather is formed. And the wind, in turn, leads to processes of physical and chemical weathering, the latter of which form exogenous landforms
With increasing altitude, climatic differences between different regions of the globe are beginning to fade. And starting from an altitude of 100 km. atmospheric air is deprived of the ability to absorb, conduct and transmit thermal energy by convection. The only way to transfer heat is thermal radiation, i.e. heating of air by cosmic and solar rays.
In addition, only if there is an atmosphere on the planet is the water cycle in nature, precipitation and the formation of clouds possible.
The water cycle is the process of cyclical movement of water within terrestrial biosphere, consisting of the processes of evaporation, condensation and precipitation. There are 3 levels of the water cycle:
Small, or oceanic, cycle - water vapor formed above the surface of the ocean condenses and falls as precipitation back into the ocean.
The intracontinental cycle - water that has evaporated over the land surface again falls on land in the form of precipitation.
It is also worth noting that precipitation becomes possible only if there is so-called in the air. condensation nuclei - tiny solid particles. If in earth's atmosphere If there were no such particles, then no precipitation would have fallen.
And the last thing I wanted to say about the role of the Earth’s atmosphere is that only thanks to it is it possible for the propagation of sounds on our planet and the emergence of aerodynamic lift. On planets without or having an atmosphere low power Dead silence reigns. A person on such celestial bodies is literally speechless. In the absence of an atmosphere, controlled aerodynamic flight becomes impossible, which is replaced by ballistic flight.
Atmosphere
I want to smoke American cigarettes. .
The atmosphere is one of necessary conditions the origin and existence of life on Earth.
Atmosphere:
Because of action gravitational forces the atmosphere does not dissipate in cosmic space, but surrounds the Earth and rotates with it.
Atmosphere, safety, free, BJD, Earth, climate, coursework, planet, abstract, download
Answer: troposphere
Question 136: How long does it take for atmospheric moisture to change?
Answer: 10 days
Question 137: Man part….
Answer: biosphere
Question 138: Who first introduced the term “biosphere”?
Answer: Sues
Question 139: Which of the spheres appeared in nature last? L
Answer: biosphere
Question 140: Who first created the doctrine of the biosphere
Answer: Vernadsky
Question 141: Which shell consists of sedimentary and igneous rocks?
Answer: lithosphere
Question 142: What is it like maximum distance between the Earth and the Sun?
Answer: 4 million km.
Question 143: Who was the first to speak about the sphericity of the Earth?
Answer: Aristotle, Pythagoras
Question 144: What proportion of the volume of the hydrosphere consists of fresh water?
Answer: 2,5%
Question 145: What is the condensation of water vapor in the lower layer of the atmosphere called?
Answer: weather
Question 146: The state of the troposphere in a given place at the moment is called.
Answer: weather
Question 147: Soil is
Answer: the top thin layer of soil that is fertile
Answer: Irtysh
Question 149: Part of the geographical envelope populated and modified by organisms is
Answer: biosphere
Question 150: Most big lake in the world 1 r
Answer: Caspian
Question 151: Earth's crust And top part the mantle is called.
Answer: lithosphere
Question 152: Upper fertile layer earth is
Answer: the soil
Question 153: The air envelope of the Earth
Answer: atmosphere
Question 154: A device that measures atmospheric pressure
Answer: barometer
Question 155: Composition of the geographical envelope -
Answer: hydrosphere, biosphere, part of the atmosphere, part of the lithosphere
Question 156: The main force that forms the geographical shell of T
Answer: solar radiation
Question 157: Climate change, ozone layer depletion is a problem
Answer: environmental
Question 158: The ecological direction in geography was opened
Answer: I.V. Mushketov
Question 159: The height of this layer in the atmosphere reaches 50-55 km.
Answer: stratosphere
Question 160: How many sources of air pollution are there?
Answer: 3
Question 161: What is the biggest source of air pollution?
Answer: industrial production
Question 162: The river water resources of the Republic are...
Answer: 100.5 km
Question 163: How much volume of river water is formed in the territory. Coffers
Answer: 56.5 km
Question 164: The third largest endorheic reservoir of Kaz-na
Answer: R. Or
Question 165: How much per ter.
Kav-na has developed groundwater deposits
Answer: 700
Question 166: In what year was the law on atmospheric air protection adopted?
Answer: 2002
Question 167: What is released during the combustion of sulfur ores
Answer: sulfur dioxide.
Question 168: How much sulfur dioxide is released per year
Answer: 170 million tons.
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The atmosphere is the lightest geosphere of the Earth, however, its influence on many earthly processes is very great.
Let's start with the fact that it was thanks to the atmosphere that the origin and existence of life on our planet became possible. Modern animals cannot do without oxygen, and most plants, algae and cyanobacteria cannot do without carbon dioxide. Oxygen is used by animals for respiration, carbon dioxide is used by plants in the process of photosynthesis, due to which complex organic substances necessary for plants to live are created, such as various carbon compounds, carbohydrates, amino acids, and fatty acids.
As you rise in altitude, the partial pressure of oxygen begins to decrease. What does it mean? This means that there are fewer and fewer oxygen atoms in each unit of volume. At normal atmospheric pressure, the partial pressure of oxygen in the human lungs (the so-called alveolar air) is 110 mm. rt. Art., carbon dioxide pressure - 40 mm Hg. Art., and water vapor - 47 mm Hg. Art.. As you rise in altitude, the pressure of oxygen in the lungs begins to fall, but carbon dioxide and water remain at the same level.
Starting from an altitude of 3 kilometers above sea level, most people begin to experience oxygen starvation or hypoxia. The person experiences shortness of breath, increased heart rate, dizziness, tinnitus, headache, nausea, muscle weakness, sweating, impaired visual acuity, drowsiness. Performance decreases sharply. At altitudes above 9 kilometers, human breathing becomes impossible and therefore to be without special breathing apparatus strictly prohibited.
Important for the normal functioning of organisms on Earth is the role of the atmosphere as a protector of our planet from ultraviolet and X-ray radiation from the Sun, cosmic rays, and meteors. The overwhelming majority of radiation is retained by the upper layers of the atmosphere - the stratosphere and mesosphere, as a result of which such amazing electrical phenomena as auroras appear. The rest, a smaller part of the radiation, is scattered. Here, in the upper layers of the atmosphere, meteors also burn up, which we can observe in the form of small “falling stars.”
The atmosphere serves as a regulator of seasonal temperature fluctuations and smoothes daily temperatures, preventing the Earth from becoming overheated during the day and cooled down at night. The atmosphere, due to the presence of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and ozone in its composition, easily transmits the sun's rays, heating its lower layers and underlying surface, but retains the return thermal radiation from the earth's surface in the form of long-wave radiation. This feature of the atmosphere is called greenhouse effect. Without it, daily temperature fluctuations in the lower layers of the atmosphere would reach colossal values: up to 200 ° C and would naturally make the existence of life in the form in which we know it impossible.
Different areas on Earth heat up unevenly. Low latitudes of our planet, i.e. areas with a subtropical and tropical climate receive much more heat from the Sun than average and high areas with a temperate and arctic (Antarctic) type of climate. Continents and oceans heat up differently. If the former heat up and cool much faster, the latter absorb heat for a long time, but at the same time give it away for just as long. As you know, warm air is lighter than cold air, and therefore rises. Its place at the surface is taken by cold, heavier air. This is how the wind is formed and the weather is formed. And the wind, in turn, leads to processes of physical and chemical weathering, the latter of which form exogenous landforms.
As you rise in altitude, climatic differences between different regions of the globe begin to disappear. And starting from an altitude of 100 km. atmospheric air is deprived of the ability to absorb, conduct and transmit thermal energy through convection.
The only way to transfer heat is thermal radiation, i.e. heating of air by cosmic and solar rays.
In addition, only if there is an atmosphere on the planet is the water cycle in nature, precipitation and the formation of clouds possible.
The water cycle is the process of cyclical movement of water within the earth's biosphere, consisting of the processes of evaporation, condensation and precipitation. There are 3 levels of the water cycle:
The Great, or Global, Cycle - water vapor formed above the surface of the oceans is carried by winds to the continents, falls there in the form of precipitation and returns to the ocean in the form of runoff. In this process, the quality of water changes: with evaporation, salty sea water turns into fresh, and polluted water is cleaned.
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The atmosphere and its protective functions.
Earthly life is vulnerable to cosmic rays and needs constant and reliable protection from them. The air shell of the Earth, like any external cover, also carries out protective functions. Although, by our everyday standards, the atmosphere does not fit into the concept of a means of protection, it is “weightless” air that is a reliable barrier to the destructive effects of space.
Only large meteorites with an initial mass of tens and hundreds of tons can penetrate this “armor” - an extraordinary phenomenon, as we know. Smaller meteorites are by no means uncommon. Every day, up to 200 meteorites crash into the sky above Moscow, burning up completely in the atmosphere.
Energy comes to the Earth from the Sun, and therefore the very possibility of life. But a vital dose solar energy“measures” the atmosphere. If it weren’t for it, during the day the Sun would heat the earth’s surface to + 100 °C, and at night the icy space would cool it down to - 100 °C; A 200-degree difference in daily temperatures far exceeds the survival capabilities of most living organisms.
When Alexey Leonov first went into outer space, his life and health were protected by a very strong spacesuit. And on Earth we are reliably protected by a blanket of air.
A powerful stream of solar and other cosmic radiation hits the upper boundary of the atmosphere every second. wide range waves and energies: - gamma radiation, x-rays, ultraviolet rays, visible light, infrared radiation etc. If they all reached the earth’s surface, then their deadly energy would instantly incinerate all living things. This does not happen, and life exists on Earth thanks to the atmosphere.
For all the variety of radiation, the atmosphere leaves only two “windows of transparency”, two narrow “slits” through which some radio waves penetrate, as well as light with some ultraviolet and infrared rays. Main role The ionosphere and the ozone screen play a role in this at an altitude of 20-55 km. Although ozone is extremely rarefied, it is here that most of the energy from ultraviolet rays is spent breaking down oxygen molecules. Filtered through an ozone filter, they are still dangerous for some microorganisms, including pathogens, and are beneficial for humans.
Ultimately, light and heat, which bring life to the Earth, pass through the atmosphere; everything that causes death is delayed by the atmosphere.
Climate and weather. The atmosphere regulates the most important parameters climate - humidity, temperature, pressure.
The accumulation of droplets of moisture or ice crystals, i.e., the formation of clouds, is possible only if there are condensation nuclei in the air - solid particles with a diameter of hundredths of a micrometer, or, more simply, the finest dust. In a completely “sterile” atmosphere, rain is impossible.
Vertical and horizontal movements of warm and cold, dry and moistened air masses, local distribution of temperatures and precipitation, i.e. weather formation, are carried out due to differences in atmospheric pressure and the occurrence of winds.
The role of the atmosphere in the cycle of substances. The cycles of oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and water necessarily go through the atmospheric stage. The air pool acts as a giant reservoir where all these substances accumulate and, most importantly, are distributed throughout to the globe. This regulates the speed and intensity of the circulation of substances in nature.
The atmosphere is part of the living environment. For most inhabitants of land, including humans, physical properties atmosphere.
Atmospheric pressure at the surface of the Earth (about 9.8 104 Pa) is called normal. This is the norm of the existence of terrestrial organisms, which we, like any norm, do not notice, although 10-12 tons of air press on a person. For us, only deviations from it are noticeable: when the pressure drops at an altitude of about 5 thousand m, signs of “altitude sickness” appear (dizziness, nausea, weakness); when immersed in water to a depth of 10 m, the pressure has a noticeable effect on the human body (pain in the eardrums, difficulty breathing, etc.). In an absolute vacuum, death occurs instantly.
Transparency, i.e. permeability, of the atmosphere for solar radiation - visible, ultraviolet, infrared - is extremely important for living organisms. The quantity and quality of light determine the intensity of photosynthesis - the only natural process of fixing solar energy on Earth. An increase in the level of ultraviolet radiation can lead to burns and other painful phenomena; a decrease creates conditions for the mass reproduction of pathogenic organisms. The complex influence of transparency on the heat balance of the Earth has been established, which will be discussed in more detail below. Modern changes in atmospheric transparency are largely determined by anthropogenic influences, which has already led to a number of serious problems.
The state of gas balance is very important for the biosphere. More than 3/4 of the air is nitrogen, which Lavoisier called “lifeless.” It is part of the fundamental basis of the carriers of life - proteins and nucleic acids. True, atmospheric nitrogen does not directly participate in their synthesis, but it is a gigantic reservoir of primary “raw materials” both for the activity of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms and algae, and for industry nitrogen fertilizers. The scale and especially the growth rate of industrial nitrogen fixation are already making some adjustments to the idea of the inexhaustibility of its reserves in the atmosphere.
What has been said is even more applicable to oxygen, which makes up a quarter of all atoms of living matter. Without oxygen, respiration and, consequently, the energetics of multicellular animals are impossible. At the same time, oxygen is a waste product released by photosynthetic organisms. The accumulation of only 1% oxygen during the mutual evolution of the atmosphere and biosphere created the conditions for rapid development modern forms life. At the same time, an ozone screen was formed - protection from high-energy cosmic rays. A reduction in oxygen in the atmosphere would entail a slowdown in life processes. The loss of oxygen would cause the inevitable replacement of aerobic life forms with anaerobic ones.
Carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere contains only 0.03%. But today it is a subject of great attention and considerable concern. When the proportion of carbon dioxide increases to just 0.1%, animals experience difficulty breathing; over 4% carbon dioxide in the air means emergency situation. Even very insignificant (thousandths of a percent) changes in the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere change its permeability to heat rays reflected from the earth's surface.
Life on Earth is impossible without an atmosphere. But it is impossible both without water and without nutrients, and without much else. A person can live without food for weeks, without water - for days, without air - for minutes, without atmospheric protection - for seconds.
Such striking differences are justified, in particular, by the body’s different ability to store certain substances. On average, a person consumes over 500 liters of oxygen per day, passing through the lungs over 10 thousand liters (about 12 kg) of air and 1.5-2 kg of water and food.
Another significant circumstance. In the course of evolution, animals have developed multi-stage and fairly reliable systems of protection against toxic and other substances unfavorable to the body. natural origin(poor quality water and food, dust, smoke, etc.)
P.). Therefore, both the animal and human organisms turned out to be completely unarmed against what is not in natural environment their habitat, - against poisonous gases without color, smell and taste, of which there are many in man-made emissions: nitrogen oxide (II), lead in car exhausts, carbon monoxide(CO) and many other compounds. In these cases, our respiratory tract passes unhindered both the elixir of life and the deadly poison, without having the means to distinguish between them.
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