Earth’s Atmospheric Layers
Troposphere Distance above sea level: 0-16 km Average Temperature: -50º to 70º F All weather happens here. Warm air rises to form clouds, rain falls. As altitude increases, temperature decreases. (The higher you go the colder it gets) Warmed by the ground below
Troposphere 80% of the total atmospheric mass 99% of Earth’s water vapor Air pressure the highest Layer nearest Earth’s surface All life exists here. This is where we live!
Stratosphere Distance above sea level: 16-50 km Average temperature: -50º to 0º Ozone layer located at the top of this layer. Gets warmer as you go up in the layer: ozone absorbs radiation from the sun, which makes it hotter. As altitude increases, temperature increases
Stratosphere Jets cruise near the bottom of this layer Less than 20% of the total atmospheric mass Clear, dry layer Weather balloons are flown to this layer.
Mesosphere Distance above sea level:50-90 km Coldest layer Average temperature: 0º to -90º F Gets colder as you go up: decrease in ozone gas Heated from below (ozone layer) As altitude increases, temperature decreases 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: 90-300 km Average temperature: -90º to 120º F Hottest layer of the atmosphere Gets warmer as you go up: closer to the sun As altitude increases, temperature increases Shimmering curtains of light called auroras happen there
Thermosphere Space shuttles orbit at this layer Less than 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: 300-600 km Average temperature: Extreme highs and extreme lows Temperature begins to level off Many satellites orbit at this layer Less than 1% of the atmospheric mass Sometimes considered as part of outer space Air pressure the lowest
Layers of the Atmosphere
Layers of the atmosphere