Video Transcript
Which of the following statements
about the importance of Earth’s atmosphere is incorrect? (A) The atmosphere allows weather
systems to form. (B) The atmosphere contains gases
that are essential for life on Earth. (C) The atmosphere contains the
ozone layer. (D) The atmosphere has no influence
on the temperature on Earth’s surface. Or (E) the atmosphere protects
Earth from small meteorites.
The question asks about Earth’s
atmosphere. The atmosphere is the layer of
gases that surrounds the solid Earth and is held in position by Earth’s
gravitational pull. The air in the atmosphere is
approximately composed of 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, and the remaining
one percent is made up of other gases, including hydrogen, helium, argon, krypton,
xenon, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.
Oxygen is needed for animals to
respire, and carbon dioxide is needed for plants to photosynthesize. Therefore, the atmosphere contains
gases that are essential for life. Thus, answer choice (B), the
atmosphere contains gases that are essential for life on Earth, is not the
answer.
The atmosphere provides protection
from harmful solar rays, in part due to the existence of the ozone layer. Thus, answer choice (C), the
atmosphere contains the ozone layer, is not the answer.
It also protects Earth from small
meteoroids. Almost all meteoroids that enter
Earth’s atmosphere burn up in the atmosphere. However, occasionally some meteors
reach the Earth’s surface, where they hit the ground and are known as
meteorites. Therefore, answer choice (E), the
atmosphere protects the Earth from small meteorites, is not the answer.
The atmosphere also allows cloud
formation, which causes rain. Therefore, the atmosphere allows
weather systems to form. Thus, answer choice (A), the
atmosphere allows weather systems to form, is not the answer to the question. Clouds also impact the temperature
of the Earth’s surface. They can act as a blanket, keeping
the surface warm, but also can block heat from the Sun, cooling the surface. The height and type of cloud
impacts if it has a warming or cooling effect.
The carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere is also able to trap heat, warming the planet. Therefore, answer choice (D), the
atmosphere has no influence on the temperature on Earth’s surface, is incorrect and
must be the answer to this question.
