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.
Energy transformations in the universe over time are (generally) characterized by various kinds of energy which has been available since the Big Bang, later being released (that is, transformed to more active types of energy such as kinetic or radiant energy), when a triggering mechanism is available to do it.