How Earth's Atmosphere Protects Us and Balances Energy

CrashCourse

This educational video from Crash Course Geography provides a comprehensive overview of Earth's atmosphere, exploring its composition, structure, and critical role in sustaining life. The host, Alizé Carrère, uses the analogy of a cell membrane to explain how the atmosphere acts as a protective barrier, regulating what enters and leaves the planet's system. The video breaks down the vertical layers of the atmosphere—troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere—explaining how temperature gradients define these distinct zones.