Okuzeka
Geology & Earth Sciences vocabulary · Weather & Climate

Atmosphere

Meaning in geology & earth sciences, with examples

/ˈætməsfɪr/nounCore term

In geology & earth sciences, atmosphere means: The layer of gases surrounding the Earth, held in place by gravity. It is mostly nitrogen and oxygen, and weather happens in its lowest layer, the troposphere.

In Turkish: atmosfer, havaküre

How it is used

Used in climate science, meteorology and planetary science. Its layers are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and thermosphere. Earth scientists treat the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and geosphere as connected systems.

Example sentences

  1. Large volcanic eruptions can send fine ash high into the atmosphere.

  2. The ozone layer lies in the stratosphere, the second layer of the atmosphere.

Common collocations

  • the Earth's atmosphere
  • upper atmosphere
  • lower atmosphere
  • atmospheric circulation
  • weatherThe state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time, such as temperature, wind, cloud, humidity and precipitation over hours or days.
  • climateThe typical weather of a region over a long period, usually averaged over 30 years, including temperature, rainfall and wind.
  • greenhouse effectThe warming of the Earth's surface because gases such as water vapour, carbon dioxide and methane absorb heat given off by the ground and send part of it back down.
  • atmospheric pressureThe pressure caused by the weight of the air above a surface. At sea level it averages about 1013 hectopascals, and it falls as you go higher.

More terms: Weather & Climate

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: