1 Without its atmosphere, Earth would be a very different planet. 2  Gases in the atmosphere allow plants to photosynthesize and animals and plants to engage in respiration. 3  Water vapor, which is an atmospheric gas, is an essential part of the water cycle. 4  All weather takes place in the atmosphere.
Energy transformation can also be explained in terms of potential energy, the stored energy of a system, which can be converted into kinetic energy, the energy of movement. For example, a roller coaster sitting at the top of a hill is said to have potential energy.
An energy transformation takes place any time that energy changes form. For example, carrying a cinder block up a flight of stairs increases the potential energy of the carrier and the block. Dropping the cinder block from the top of the stairs to the ground below converts the block's potential energy into kinetic energy.