1. Layers of the atmosphere
Atmosphere- mixture of gases surrounding a planet or moon; air
Earth’s Atmospheric Gases:
78% -N
28% - O
1% Ar, Dust, Volcanic ash, sea salt
4 main layers: Troposphere Stratosphere
Mesosphere Thermosphere
2 Minor layers: Ionosphere Exosphere

2. Two Special Moms In TN Everyday
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Ionosphere
Thermosphere
Exosphere

3. Troposphere
Lowest layer
we live here
only KNOWN layer to support life
Tropo means turn
most of atmosphere’s weather occurs here
Shallowest layer ;but, contains most of the
atmosphere’s mass
most dense layer
Gases mix here
As altitude rises temperature decreases

4. Stratosphere
layer directly above troposphere
Contains O₃- protects us from sun’s uv rays
Located km above earth surface
Strato means layered or stretching out
Gas do not mix here
Cold -60⁰C (bottom) to 2,000⁰C at top
As altitude increases temperature increases also
Air has very little moisture (DRY)

5. Mesosphere
Middle layer
Coldest layer
50-80 km above Earth’s surface
As altitude increases temperature decreases
most meteoroids burn up here, producing a
meteor trail
Protect Earth from meteors
Temperature 93⁰ C – 100⁰ C at the top
Meteorite- burns up in the Mesos…
Meteor- does NOT burn up…hits the Earth

6. Thermosphere
Thermo means heat
2,000⁰C at the top
Air molecules are 1 km apart
N & O convert solar energy to heat
Astronauts visit
Air very thin: % as dense as the air at sea level
Northern lights
**even though temperature is hot, thermosphere is
NOT hot
Heat-transfer of thermal energy
Temperature-measure of average energy
of particles in motion

7. Ionosphere Located b/t upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere N and O absorb harmful solar energy As temp rises, gases/particles  become electrically charged: ions Auroras-radiated energy seen as shimmering lights in the Polar regions- look this way b/c ions radiate energy AM radio waves can travel around the world here (Frequency) km

8. Exosphere Satellites, Space shuttles Aliens (), Outer space 400 +km- altitude Beyond Cold

9. Formation of wind
Sun heats air-causes a rise in temperature-causes a change in air pressure-begins air to moving /convection current=wind
Wind is moving air…moves by
Convection current
Convection current-
Transfer of heat by current in a liquid or gas

10. jet streams are narrow belts of high-speed winds that blow in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere.
winds can reach maximum speeds of 400 km/h.
Unlike other global winds, the jet streams do not follow regular paths around the Earth.