Transcript Earth`s Atmospheric Layers

Earth’s Atmospheric
Layers
Troposphere
• Distance above sea level: 0-16 km
• Average Temperature: -64º to 134º F
• Warm air rises to form clouds, rain falls
• The higher you go the colder it gets
• All weather happens here
• All life exists here
Troposphere
• <75% of the total atmospheric mass
• 99% of Earth’s water vapor
• Air pressure the highest
• Layer nearest Earth’s surface
• Warmed by the ground below
Stratosphere
• Distance above sea level: 16-50 km
• Average temperature: -80oF to -40oF
• Gets warmer as you go up in the level: ozone gas
absorbs radiation from the sun
• Radiation raises temperature
• Weather balloons are flown to this layer
Stratosphere
• Jets cruise near the bottom of this layer
• Less than 25% of the total atmospheric mass
• Ozone layer located here
• Warmer than the troposphere
• Clear, dry layer
Mesosphere
• Distance above sea level:50-90 km
• Coldest layer
• Average temperature: 23º to -130º F
• Gets colder as you go up: decrease in ozone gas
• Heated from below
• Meteors or shooting stars burn up
Mesosphere
• Less than 1% of the atmospheric mass
• Hardest to study since planes can’t fly high
enough and satellites can’t fly low enough
• Extremely thin air
Thermosphere
• Distance above sea level: 90-600 km
• Average temperature: 360º to 3,632º F
• Hottest layer of the atmosphere
• Gets warmer as you go up: closer to the sun
• Shimmering curtains of light called auroras
happen there
Thermosphere
• Space shuttles orbit at this layer
• >1% of the atmospheric mass
• Near a vacuum so not enough contact with atoms
of gas to transfer much heat
Exosphere
• Distance above sea level: 600-10,000 km
• Average temperature: Extreme Highs and Extreme
Lows
• Temperature begins to level off
• Many satellites orbit at this layer
• >1% of the atmospheric mass
Exosphere
• Sometimes considered as part of outer space
• Air pressure the lowest