ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Atmosphere

The atmosphere is like a big blanket of gas that surrounds our planet Earth. Just like how you wear clothes to keep yourself warm, our planet wears this blanket of gases to keep itself safe and in the right temperature.

The atmosphere is made up of many different gases like oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and many more. These gases are very important because they help us breathe, protect us from harmful sun rays, and keep the Earth's temperature just right for us to live.

The atmosphere has different layers, just like a cake! Each layer has a different thickness and temperature. The first layer, where we live and breathe, is called the troposphere. The next layer is the stratosphere, where airplanes fly. Above that is the mesosphere, where meteors burn up. And the last layer is the thermosphere, which is very hot because it's near the sun.

Sometimes, things can happen in the atmosphere that affect us on Earth. For example, when there are too many greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, the temperature of the Earth can start to get too hot, which can cause climate change. Or, when there's too much pollution like smog, it can make it hard for us to breathe.

So, the atmosphere is like a big blanket of gas that keeps our planet safe, and we need to take care of it to make sure it stays healthy and protect us!