Constantly moving, constantly changing, the atmosphere surrounds the Earth with a life-supporting blanket of air. Air is composed of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other elements, and is subdivided into separate layers, each having a different composition and density. These elements have measurable weight in form of atmospheric pressure, as demonstrated by a series of laboratory experiments. The atmosphere's most dramatic aspect is its movement, powered by the sun. This movement results in weather, which includes wind, storms, temperature changes, the Coriolis effect, and other meterological variations.
Weather is influenced by the Earth's rotation, surface characteristics, and even human habitation.