Layers of the Atmosphere Jigsaw Choose one of these layers: Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere Write four facts about the layer you chose. One fact must be what happens to the temperature in that layer. Use a device or green book page I 31

Layers of the Atmosphere Check your Notes! Do you have all of these facts?

Troposphere Tropo = turning or changing 0 to 12 km from earth’s surface Where weather occurs We live here. Contains almost all of the mass of the atmosphere. As altitude increase temperature decreases

Ozonosphere Ozone = O3 Ozone is produced by lightning 90% of ozone is in the stratosphere Protect the earth from UV rays from the sun.

Stratosphere Strato = spread out From the top of troposphere to 50 km. As altitude increase, temperature increases. Contains the ozone layer Planes fly here to avoid weather

Mesosphere Meso = middle 50 – 80 km above earth’s surface As altitude increase, temperature decrease. Meteorites burn up in the mesosphere – leaving a shooting star

Thermosphere Divided into two sections Begins at 80 km from the earth’s surface Ends in outer space Therm – heat As altitude increases, temp. increases Air is very thin – molecules spread out

Ionosphere 80 to 550 km – bottom layer of thermosphere Energy from the sun causes gas molecules to have a charge + or – Aurora Borealis occur here. Particles from the sun enter near the poles. (See Magnetosphere)

How Auroras are caused: Charged particles from the sun interact with the earth’s magnetic field The particles (or ions) enter the atmosphere near the poles The ions smash into the air molecules The air molecules release energy from the crash as light Northern Hemisphere – Northern Lights Southern Hemisphere – Aurora Australis

Aurora Borealis

Exosphere Exo = Outer 2nd layer of the thermosphere 550 km above earth to outer space Satellites orbit here

Magnetosphere The earth acts as a large magnet All magnetic objects produce invisible lines of force and creates charged molecules Earth’s magnetic line run from North to South Pole The magnetic field stops solar winds The charged molecules create auroras in the ionosphere