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What is the primary characteristic of the Troposphere layer of the Earth's atmosphere?
What is the primary function of the Stratosphere layer of the Earth's atmosphere?
What is the primary characteristic of the Mesosphere layer of the Earth's atmosphere?
What is the primary function of the Thermosphere layer of the Earth's atmosphere?
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What is the primary characteristic of the Exosphere layer of the Earth's atmosphere?
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Study Notes
Troposphere
- Closest layer to Earth's surface, extending up to about 8-15 km (5-9 miles) in altitude.
- Contains most of the atmosphere's mass, weather phenomena and clouds occur within this layer.
- Temperature decreases with altitude, averaging around -6.5°C per kilometer.
Stratosphere
- Located above the troposphere, reaching heights of about 50 km (31 miles).
- Home to the ozone layer, which absorbs and scatters ultraviolet solar radiation.
- Temperature increases with altitude due to ozone absorption of UV radiation.
Mesosphere
- Extends from the stratosphere to about 85 km (53 miles) above the Earth.
- Characterized by decreasing temperatures with altitude, reaching the coldest temperatures in the atmosphere, around -90°C.
- Meteors burn up in this layer due to friction with the sparse air particles.
Thermosphere
- Ranges from 85 km to approximately 600 km (375 miles) above the Earth.
- Temperature rises significantly due to absorption of high-energy solar radiation, sometimes exceeding 2,500°C.
- This layer is where the auroras occur and is key for international space station operations due to its low density.
Exosphere
- Outermost layer of the Earth's atmosphere, extending from 600 km (375 miles) to about 10,000 km (6,200 miles).
- Composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, with extremely low density.
- Serves as a transition zone between the Earth's atmosphere and outer space, where satellites orbit.
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Description
Explore the five layers of the Earth's atmosphere, from the Troposphere to the Stratosphere. Learn about the characteristics, functions, and heights of each layer in this quiz.