We have studied the absorption, reflection, and transmission of electromagnetic waves in an unmagnetized uniform plasma layer covering a metal surface in atmosphere conditions.Instead of the absorption of the electromagnetic wave propagating only once in previous work on the plasma layer, a general formula of total power absorption by the plasma layer with an infinite time of reflections between the atmosphere-plasma interface and the metal surface has been derived for the first time. Effects of plasma parameters, especially the dependence of the fraction of positive ions, negative ions and electrons in plasmas on the power absorption processes are discussed. The results show that the existence of negative ions significantly reduces the power absorption of the electromagnetic wave. Absorptions of electromagnetic waves are calculated.