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.
Most forms of energy can be transformed into other forms. A change from one form of energy to another is called an energy transformation. Some energy changes involve single transformations, while others involve many transformations. Sometimes, one form of energy needs to be transformed into another to get work done.