The Earth’s Warm Fuzzy Blanket The Atmosphere The Earth’s Warm Fuzzy Blanket

What is the Atmosphere? - A blanket of air that surrounds a heavenly body like the Earth. - Composition: What is the atmosphere made of? •78% Nitrogen • 21% Oxygen • 1% other (includes carbon dioxide, water vapor and ozone) This 1% produces important weather features like clouds and rain but also has influence on the climate of Earth.

Troposphere - Rises to about 20km or about 7.5 miles - About 75-80% of the atmosphere’s mass - This is the layer we live in and experience weather. - Air is warmest at the bottom and gets colder as you move up through it.

Stratosphere Most commercial jets fly here to avoid turbulence. - Starts between 8 and 16 km above Earth’s surface. Top of the stratosphere is at about 50 km above Earth’s surface - Temperature increases as you go up through the stratosphere - Contains the Ozone layer - Very dry. Very little water vapor. This means very few clouds.

Mesosphere - Destroys asteroids! Temperatures again decrease with height http://youtu.be/iAZNv2cXJK0 50-80 km. above the Earth’s surface Temperatures approach ] -90 C. or 130 F - Destroys asteroids!

Thermosphere - Where the international space station orbits. - Begins at 80 km above the Earth http://youtu.be/lT3J6a9p_o8 - Temperatures increase with altitude due to the absorption of solar radiation. - Where the international space station orbits. - Where auroras occur

Exosphere Region of the atmosphere where particles and molecules are lost to space. http://youtu.be/3CerJbZ-dm0

Air Pressure and Altitude Air pressure is the pressure exerted by the weight of air above. As altitude increases air pressure decreases. •Air thins out!