1. The Layers of the Earth’s Atmosphere
Please follow along and add notes to your graphic organizer 

2. Atmosphere
The atmosphere is a thin layer of air that protects the Earth’s surface from extreme temperatures and harmful sun rays

3. Composition of Atmosphere (Mixture of gases, solids, and liquids)
Early atmosphere was much different than today
Volcanoes produced nitrogen and carbon dioxide, but little oxygen
More than 2 billion years ago, early organisms began producing oxygen
Eventually, oxygen formed an ozone layer that protected Earth from harmful rays
Green plants and diverse life forms developed

4. Atmospheric Gases (Mixture of gases, solids, and liquids)
Nitrogen %
Oxygen %
Water Vapor – 0 to 4%
Used for clouds and precipitation
Carbon Dioxide %
Keeps Earth warm and is used by plants to make food
Argon - .93%
Traces of neon, helium, methane, krypton, xenon, hydrogen, and ozone

5. Atmospheric Gases (Mixture of gases, solids, and liquids)
Atmosphere is changing with the introduction of pollutants; increasing human energy use is increasing the amount of carbon dioxide
Pollutants mix with oxygen and other chemicals to form smog
Aerosols include solids such as dust, salt, and pollen
Liquids include water droplets and droplets from volcanoes

6. EXOSPHERE THERMOSPHERE MESOSPHERE STRATOSPHERE TROPOSPHERE
The Earth's Atmosphere

7. The Atmosphere
The atmosphere consists of layers of air that surround the Earth. Some of the “air” is oxygen, which we breathe, but there are also many other gasses, dust particles, and even some water vapor mixed into the air.

8. The troposphere is the layer closest to the surface of Earth
The troposphere is the layer closest to the surface of Earth. Nearly all life and all weather occur in this layer. The air thins in this layer and is denser than in other layers. In this layer, the higher up from Earth’s surface you go, the colder it gets. The peak of Mt. Everest is near the top of this layer.
TROPOSPHERE

9. The temperature in this layer becomes warmer
The temperature in this layer becomes warmer. The air is thinner and drier than in the previous layer.
STRATOSPHERE

10. The mesosphere is the coldest layer of the atmosphere
The mesosphere is the coldest layer of the atmosphere. When meteoroids from space enter our atmosphere, this is the layer in which they usually burn up. That might be surprising because it’s a pretty thin layer.
MESOSPHERE

11. Temperatures in the thermosphere are very high, more that 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. This is where space begins. The International Space Station orbits Earth in this layer.
THERMOSPHERE

12. The exosphere is the outermost layer of Earth’s atmosphere but there is no exact dividing line between this layer and space.
EXOSPHERE

15. This concludes the notes for the Layers of the Earth’s Atmosphere!!

16. The Earth's Atmosphere

17. EXOSPHERE THERMOSPHERE MESOSPHERE STRATOSPHERE TROPOSPHERE
The exosphere is the outermost layer of Earth’s atmosphere but there is no exact dividing line between this layer and space.
EXOSPHERE
Temperatures in the thermosphere are very high, more that 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. This is where space begins. The International Space Station orbits Earth in this layer.
THERMOSPHERE
The mesosphere is the coldest layer of the atmosphere. When meteoroids from space enter our atmosphere, this is the layer in which they usually burn up. That might be surprising because it’s a pretty thin layer.
MESOSPHERE
The temperature in this layer becomes warmer. The air is thinner and drier than in the previous layer.
STRATOSPHERE
The troposphere is the layer closet to the surface of Earth. Nearly all life and all weather occur in this layer. The air thins in this layer and is denser than in other layers. In this layer, the higher up from Earth’s surface you go, the colder it gets. The peak of Mt. Everest is near the top of this layer.
TROPOSPHERE

18. Energy Transfer in the Atmosphere
Energy that flows from an object with a higher temperature to an object with a lower temperature
Heat is transferred through the atmosphere by:
Radiation: energy that is transferred in the form of rays or waves
Conduction: energy that is transferred when molecules bump into each other
Convection: energy that is transferred by flow of material
Molecules move closer together, making air more dense, and air pressure increases
Cold air sinks, pushing up warm air, which then cools and sinks, pushing up more warm air