COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENT
Everything which surrounds us may collectively be termed as Environment.
Environment constitutes a life support system.
Through a process of natural selection and elimination, the environment has caused the
evolution of the biological spectrum, the biosphere as it is exists today.
ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Environment consists of all living and non-living things which surround us.
The basic components of the environment are:
1. Atmosphere
2. Hydrosphere
3. Lithosphere
4. Biosphere
ATMOSPHERE
Atmosphere consists of a complex mixture of a number of gases, water vapour and
variety of fine particulate matter.
The gaseous mantle which surrounds the globe is constituted by about 5.5 x 10 15metric
tonnes of gas which exerts a pressure of about 1 kg sq.cm.
Most of these gases are compressed in the lower most layer due to the pressure of lower
layer above it.
Pressure decreases as we move upward.
97% of effective atmosphere up to the height of 29 km.
A multilayered gaseous envelope surrounding the earth.
Atmosphere attached with the earth by its gravitational force.
Atmosphere filters incoming solar radiation and maintaining Earth into not too hot and
not too cold.
Atmosphere height is about 16 to 29 thousand kms from sea level.
STRUCTURE OF ATMOSPHERE
Based primarily on the temperature pattern its atmosphere can be roughly divided into
four major zones.
1. TROPOSPHERE
The zone immediately above earth’s surface is known as the troposphere.
It extends up to a height of about 20 kms above the equator and of about 8 kms over the
poles.
The temperature in this zone drops with height being as low as -600C at its upper
extremity.
Everything which surrounds us may collectively be termed as Environment.
Environment constitutes a life support system.
Through a process of natural selection and elimination, the environment has caused the
evolution of the biological spectrum, the biosphere as it is exists today.
ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Environment consists of all living and non-living things which surround us.
The basic components of the environment are:
1. Atmosphere
2. Hydrosphere
3. Lithosphere
4. Biosphere
ATMOSPHERE
Atmosphere consists of a complex mixture of a number of gases, water vapour and
variety of fine particulate matter.
The gaseous mantle which surrounds the globe is constituted by about 5.5 x 10 15metric
tonnes of gas which exerts a pressure of about 1 kg sq.cm.
Most of these gases are compressed in the lower most layer due to the pressure of lower
layer above it.
Pressure decreases as we move upward.
97% of effective atmosphere up to the height of 29 km.
A multilayered gaseous envelope surrounding the earth.
Atmosphere attached with the earth by its gravitational force.
Atmosphere filters incoming solar radiation and maintaining Earth into not too hot and
not too cold.
Atmosphere height is about 16 to 29 thousand kms from sea level.
STRUCTURE OF ATMOSPHERE
Based primarily on the temperature pattern its atmosphere can be roughly divided into
four major zones.
1. TROPOSPHERE
The zone immediately above earth’s surface is known as the troposphere.
It extends up to a height of about 20 kms above the equator and of about 8 kms over the
poles.
The temperature in this zone drops with height being as low as -600C at its upper
extremity.
