LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE

• Earth is surrounded by a blanket of air called the atmosphere, this protects the planet and enables life to exist.
• Nitrogen is the most abundant gas and is essential for all living things to grow. (78% of air)
• Oxygen is necessary for humans and animals for survival. This is a plant by-product during photosynthesis. (21% of air)
• Trace gases are gases that exist in very small amounts in our air.
• The Troposphere comes from the word "Tropo" meaning turning or changing. (0 - 10 km above sea level)
• The Troposphere is where all weather occurs.
• The Stratosphere comes from the word "Strato" that means layer or spread out. (10-50km above sea level)
• The Stratosphere contains the ozone layer.
• The Mesosphere comes from the word "Meso" meaning middle and is the middle layer of the atmosphere. (50-80km above sea level)
• The Mesosphere protects the earth from meteoroids.
• The Thermosphere comes from the word "Thermo" meaning heat. (80+ km above sea level)
• In the Thermosphere, temperatures reach up to 1,800 C° or 3,272 F°.
• The Ionosphere is where the sun's energy heats molecules to become ions.
• The Ionosphere is known for causing Aurora borealis. (Northern lights / Aurora)
• The Ionosphere is located 80 km - 500 km in the atmosphere.
• The Exosphere extends from 500km (extends into space)
• In the Exosphere, Satellites orbit Earth in this Layer.