Atmospheric Layers

Thought What happens when you put something heavy on top of something soft? (Provide example) You sitting on a bed Examples: Pushing down trash in a plastic bag A jar of mayonnaise on top of a slice of bread Would you agree that everything has weight?

Defining Atmosphere The atmosphere is a thin _________ of _______ that forms a protective ______ around the Earth.

Vocabulary Words Stratosphere Mesosphere Troposphere Density Thermosphere Exosphere Molecules

Defining Density Density is a comparison of how much matter (molecules) there is in a certain amount of space. What affect does this have on the atmosphere?

Molecules The smallest particle of a substance that retains the chemical and physical properties of the substance and is composed of two or more atoms; a group of like or different atoms held together by chemical forces.

Bun Hamburger Tomato Lettuce Bun Understanding Layers

Layers

Earth

Troposphere Starts at earth’s surface and extends 8 to 14.5 kilometers (5-9 miles) Contains almost all weather Most dense Contains nitrogen, oxygen, and other gases As you get higher, the temperature drops from about 17 to 52 degrees Celsius

Stratosphere Starts just above the troposphere and extends to 50 kilometers (31 miles) high Dry and less dense than troposphere Contains nitrogen, oxygen, and other gases Contains the ozone layer Temperature decreases to -3 degrees Celsius, due to absorption of ultraviolet radiation

Mesosphere Starts above stratosphere and extends to 85 kilometers (53 miles) Temperatures fall as low as -93 degrees Celsius Contains nitrogen and oxygen

Thermosphere Starts just above the mesosphere and extends to 600 kilometers (372 miles) Temperatures increases up to 1, 727 degrees Celsius Contains nitrogen and oxygen

Beyond the Atmosphere Starts at the thermosphere and continues until merging with interplanetary gases, or space Hydrogen and Helium are prime components and are only present at extremely low densities

EARTH SURFACE Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere EXOSPHERE – Outer Space Atmosphere Key: Nitrogen – Oxygen Other Gases 1 Atmosphere