Download atmosphere layer notes pdf - Eagles Team

Layers of the
Atmosphere
Click on image to play movie
About the Atmosphere
• Earth’s atmosphere is held in place by
gravity
• The atmosphere protects life on Earth by
absorbing UV radiation and by regulating
temperature
• There is no exact place where the
atmosphere ends
• It gets gradually thinner and less dense until
it merges with outer space
Troposphere
• The atmospheric layer closest to Earth
• Referred to as the “lower atmosphere”
• Holds the most dense composition of gases
and molecules
• Almost all our weather is created in the
troposphere
Stratosphere
• Just above the troposphere
• Starting at an average altitude of 7 miles
above sea level
• The air is more dry and less dense
• Only the highest clouds can be found here
• Aircraft usually fly in the lower stratosphere
to avoid turbulence in the troposphere
• Near the top of the stratosphere is the
ozone layer
Mesosphere
• This layer ranges from 30-50 miles above
sea level
• Contains chemicals which absorb energy
from the sun
• The stratosphere and mesosphere together
are called the “middle atmosphere”
Thermosphere
• This layer starts around 50 miles above sea
level
• Called the “upper atmosphere”
• Any person traveling at an altitude of more
than 50 miles (80.5 km) above sea level is
considered an astronaut
• Space shuttles and some satellites orbit the
Earth within this layer
This is where auroras take place
Auroras
Click on image to play movie
Exosphere
• Outermost atmospheric layer
• It has no definite outer limit as it merges
with space
• Many satellites orbit the Earth in this layer
(usually at altitudes of 300-600 miles above
sea level)
Click on image to play movie
Click image to play movie
Felix Baumgartner completed this free-fall from
128,000 feet
24.24 miles
39 kilometers