Science
Atmosphere layers.
Definition
Earth's atmosphere is divided into distinct layers based on temperature changes with altitude: the troposphere (weather occurs here), stratosphere (contains the ozone layer), mesosphere (where meteors burn up), thermosphere (aurora occurs here), and exosphere (transitions to space).
Examples
Real-world.
- 1 Commercial airplanes fly in the upper troposphere or lower stratosphere (about 10-12 km altitude)
- 2 The ozone layer in the stratosphere absorbs harmful UV radiation from the sun
- 3 The International Space Station orbits in the thermosphere at about 400 km altitude
Key Fact
Troposphere: 0-12 km; Stratosphere: 12-50 km; Mesosphere: 50-80 km; Thermosphere: 80-700 km; Exosphere: 700+ km.