layers of the atmosphere

• Homosphere- homogenous gases, tropo, strato, mesa lower, thermo
• layering of the atmosphere- due to the changes in temperature, pressure, compression, movement, density
• each of the layer have imaginary boundary: "pause"- where the greatest changes occur
• changes in the air pressure: due to the earths gravity pulls air down density: mass of the air/ volume of the air changes in the temperature: main basis for atmospheric layers temperature: -6.5 degrees Celsius for every/ 1km (as you go higher up the atmosphere)
• troposhere- also known as the lower atmosphere starts from 20km above sea level, weather patterns, commercial plane, 75% to 80 % can be seen atmospheric masses (holds 99% of the water vapor in the atmosphere) (wettest layer of the atmosphere) Temperature: 17 Celsius > 51 Celsius if it is now closer to the (tropopause)
• stratosphere- 19% of atmosphere gases with little water vapor, airplanes fly at the upper limit of the troposphere (we can see the jet planes and weather balloons), the thickest part of the ozone layer, with the highest concentration of 2-8ppm (90% of the earth's ozone), thickness: 16-48 km, boundary: stratopause
• mesosphere: coldest (-15 > 90 degrees Celsius) meteors can be seen, airs is to thin for breathing but thick enough to slow down meteors. [meteoroid (outer), meteor (inside), meteorite (landed on the ground)]. noctilucent clouds can be seen (night shining clouds), sprites large scale of electric discharges. transition: mesopause
• Thermosphere


  Upper atmosphere, absorbs high energy x-rays and UV radiations from the sun, hottest part, 200-500 degrees Celsius, air too thin feels like freezing, 600km-1000km, includes the ionosphere and the Karman line (the limit of the Earth's atmosphere, 100km above sea level)
• Ionosphere


  50-1000km, solar radiation ionizes atmospheric gases, resulting in loose electrons and electrically charged atoms and molecules (IONS), divided into 3 layers which are denser in daytime (F-E-D), "E" layer is electrical (conductive layer) used for radio signals, can be seen from the International Space Station
• Aurora borealis can be seen in the ionosphere
• exosphere: separeted by thermopause or exobase (lower limit of exoshpere) "final frontier" protecting the earth, it has very thin air, it varies the upper limit to 10, 000 km- 190,000km, composed of oxygen and hydrogen atoms. artificial satellites can be found orbiting the earth
• within the exo we can find the magnetosphere: outer region where charged particles spiral along the magnetic field lines, earth acts as a huge magnet, within the magnetosphere we can find the: plasmasphere: inner part of M.S donut shaped region of low electrically charged particles centered around the equator
• Air pollution


  Harmful substances entering the atmosphere
• Sources of air pollution

  • Natural: greenhouse gases (water vapor, CO2, ozone) can be enhanced, enhancing the greenhouse effect and altering the climate
  • Anthropogenic: 1.) Particulate matter- aerosols (factories, volcanoes, vehicles, airspays)
  • 2.) Nitrogen Dioxide - vehicles or burning fuels
  • 3.) Ozone- in troposphere, smog
  • 4.) SO2- burning of fossil fuels
  • 5.) Lead- metal processing
  • 6.) CO- burning of carbon
• Natural air pollution can enhance the greenhouse effect and alter the climate
• Anthropogenic air pollution includes particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, lead, and carbon monoxide
• troposphere- decreases with altitude
• vigra- rain falls from a cloud but doesn't reach the ground
• tropo-strato-meso-thermo-exo- layers
• heterosphere- well mixed gases, most of thermo + exo, layered by molecular weight: o2 and nitrogen at the bottom, helium and hydorgen at the top
• atmosphere-

  -an invisible mixture of gases involving a celestial body (e.g planet, moon)

  -protects life from harmful sun rays -keeps the planet warm, regulating temperature -helps regulate weather/climate patterns