The Earth’s atmosphere is an essential layer of gases surrounding the planet. It plays a crucial role in supporting life by providing oxygen to breathe, protecting from harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun, and helping to maintain a stable and habitable climate. Without the atmosphere:

Daytime Baking: The sun’s direct rays, without any filtering or reflection, would result in extremely high temperatures during the day.

Night-Time Freezing: At night, without the insulating effects of the atmosphere, temperatures would plummet.

The air we breathe isn’t composed of a single element or compound. It’s a mix of several gases and particulates. Here’s a breakdown:

Nitrogen (N ₂ ): This is the predominant gas in the atmosphere, making up about 78% of the air by volume. While humans and animals inhale it without any direct use, plants rely on nitrogen for growth. However, plants cannot use atmospheric nitrogen directly. Specific bacteria in the soil and in symbiotic relationships with some plants can fix this nitrogen, converting it into a form plants can assimilate.

Oxygen (O ₂ ): Oxygen constitutes about 21% of the atmosphere. It’s vital for the respiration of many life forms. Plants, through the process of photosynthesis, produce oxygen. If deforestation continues at an unchecked rate, it would result in a decline in oxygen production, disrupting this balance.