Layers of the Atmosphere Atmospheric Temperature vs Altitude

Layers of the Atmosphere

Atmospheric Temperature vs. Altitude 120 The atmosphere is divided into layers based on temperature. 110 100 THERMOSPHERE 90 Height above ground (kilometers) Mesopause 80 70 MESOPHERE 60 50 Stratopause 40 30 STRATOSPHERE 20 Tropopause 10 TROPOSPHERE 0 -120 COLDER -100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 WARMER 60

• • extends up to 10 km contains 99% of the water vapor 75% of the atmospheric gases contains most clouds and half of the Earth's atmosphere. Weather occurs in this layer. Most of the layer’s heat is from Earth Temperature cools as you move up through the troposphere

STRATOSPHERE • Stratosphere – directly above troposphere • extending from 10 km to about 50 km above Earth’s surface • Many jet aircrafts fly in the stratosphere because it is very stable. • Portion of the upper layer contains high levels of a gas called ozone

The Ozone Layer (part of the Stratosphere) • O 3 molecules that protect the Earth from the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation • Life depends on the ozone! • Pollutants called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) destroy ozone • CFCs are used in refrigerators, air conditioners, aerosol sprays, and foam packaging • Ozone layer has a large hole over Antarctica and a smaller one over the North Pole

• Mesosphere – extends from the top of the stratosphere to about 85 km above Earth • Coldest layer with little ozone • Meteors or rock fragments burn up in the mesosphere

J THERMOSPHERE • Thermosphere – thickest atmospheric layer found between 85 km and 500 km above Earth’s surface • The thermosphere is a layer with auroras, known for its high temperatures. • Warms as it filters out X-rays and gamma rays from the Sun • Made of two parts – the IONOSPHERE, which helps carry radio waves and the EXOSPHERE

EXOSPHERE • Exosphere - The atmosphere merges into space in the extremely thin exosphere. This is the upper limit of our atmosphere. • Outer layer where the ISS orbits.

https: //youtu. be/3 Cer. Jb. Z-dm 0 Layers of Atmosphere