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: km Average temperature: -80 o F to -40 o F Gets warmer as you go up in the level: ozone has absorbs radiation from the sun Radiation raises temperature Weather balloons are flown to this layer

Stratosphere Jets cruise near the bottom of this layer <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 >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: 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: ,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