An atmosphere is the layer of gases that surrounds a planet or other celestial body. It is held in place by the planet’s gravity and helps to protect the planet from things like meteorites and other space debris. The atmosphere also plays a role in regulating the temperature of the planet and in the water cycle, which is the process by which water moves from the Earth’s surface back into the atmosphere and then falls back down to the surface as rain or snow.
Imagine that the Earth is like a big ball, and all around it is a layer of air, kind of like a big, invisible blanket. This layer of air is called the Earth’s atmosphere. It helps to keep the Earth warm, and it also helps to keep the air clean by filtering out harmful things like dust and pollution. The atmosphere is also home to lots of different types of clouds, which are made up of tiny water droplets or ice crystals that float in the air. When it gets cold enough, the water droplets or ice crystals in the clouds can turn into rain or snow and fall back down to the Earth’s surface. That’s why we have weather like rain and snow, and why the air can sometimes feel cold or warm depending on where we are.