Earth's Atmosphere
The layer of gases that surrounds planet Earth
Atmosphere
The number of layers Earth's atmosphere has
Five
The presence of substances in the air that damage human health or the environment
Air Pollution
A harmful mix of air pollutants like smoke, fog, and other chemicals that form over cities
Smog
This element makes up more than 18% of the human body
Carbon
The gas makes up 78% of Earth's atmosphere
Nitrogen
The lowest layer; where we live
Troposphere
A natural event that can cause air pollution
Volcanoes, wildfires, dust, human activities, etc.
Formed from burning coal and common in developing nations with limited pollution regulations
Industrial smog
Producers
Gas that is essential for living things and for combustion
Oxygen
Layer that contains the ozone layer
Stratosphere
Pollution that comes from one identifiable source
Point Source Pollution
Acid rain
This category of organisms break down dead organisms and release carbon into the soil and air
Decomposers
The amount of water vapor in the air compared to the maximum amount it can hold
Relative Humidity
The coldest layer of the atmosphere
Mesosphere
These pollutants form in the air when primary pollutants react with other substances
Secondary pollutants
A US law passed in 1970 with the goal of reducing air pollution
Clean Air Act
Over millions of years, the soft tissues of organisms become this source of energy
Fossil Fuels
A tool used to measure air pressure
Barometer
Layer in which the International Space Station orbits
Thermosphere
Long-term exposure to air pollution is linked to this family of diseases, specifically of the lungs
Cancer
An international agreement to phase out ozone-depleting substances like CFC's
Montreal Protocol
This is an example of a carbon reservoir
Ocean, forest, etc.