Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Introduction
Constantly shields the surface and its inhabitants from the suns dangerous
ultra violet radiant energy, as well as from the onslaught of material from
interplanetary space.
Composition
Nested on the atmosphere are clouds of liquid water and ice crystals.
Symbol
Percent
(by Volume)
Dry Air
Nitrogen
78.08
Oxygen
20.95
Argon
Ar
0.93
Neon
Ne
0.0018
Helium
He
0.0005
Hydrogen
0.00006
Xenon
Xe
0.000009
Variable Gases
Gas (and Particles)
Symbol
Percent
(by Volume)
Water Vapor
HO
0 to 4
Carbon dioxide
CO
0.037
Methane
CH
0.00017
Nitrous Oxide
NO
0.00003
Ozone
0.000004
0.000001
Chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs)
0.00000002
Troposphere
From the Greek word tropein, meaning to turn, or to change.
The lowest layer of importance that contains the bulk of the air.
The region of the atmosphere from the surface up to about 11 km (or 7 mi).
Most of the weather changes are limited to this layer because of the decrease
of temperature with elevation.
Thickest at the equator and thinnest at the poles.
Stratosphere
Directly above the troposphere, extending from 11 km to about 50 km above
the Earths surface.
Characterized by a vertically isothermal (equal temperature) structure in the
lower portion.
Portion of the upper layer contains high levels of a gas called ozone.
Many jet aircrafts fly in this layer because of its stability.
Mesosphere
Middle sphere
Extends from the top of the stratosphere to about 85 km above Earth
Lies above the stratosphere identified by a strong temperature decrease from
the maximum temperature zone in its lowest portion just above the
stratosphere.
With an average temperature of -90 degrees Celcius, the top of this
layer represents the coldest part of our atmosphere.
Meteors or rock fragments burn up in the mesosphere.
Ionosphere is in this layer portion of the upper atmosphere which
includes the ion-rich layers.
The air here is extremely thin and the atmospheric pressure is quite
low.
At this level, without proper oxygen-breathing equipment, the brain
would soon become oxygen-starveda condition known as hypoxiaand
suffocation would result.
Thermosphere
The hot layer above the mesosphere.
Thickest atmospheric layer found between 85 km and 500 km above
Earths surface
Oxygen molecules absorb energetic solar rays, warming the air.
There are relatively few atoms and molecules, thus, the absorption of a
small amount of energetic solar energy can cause a large increase in air
temperature that may exceed 500 degrees Celcius.
The thermosphere is a layer with auroras, known for its high
temperatures.
Ionosphere is here; too, which helps carry radio waves.
Exosphere
The atmosphere merges into space in the extremely thin exosphere.
This is the upper limit of our atmosphere.
Outer layer where space shuttle orbits.
General Characteristics
Humidity
Measure of amount of water vapor in atmosphere
Specific Humidity - the mass of water vapor in a unit mass of moist air at a
given temperature
Relative Humidity ratio of (airs actual water vapour content) to (amount
of water vapor at saturation for that temperature)
As air is lifted, it cools. Cool air holds less water and eventually cools to the
point that relative humidity is saturated, and water vapor is condensed to
liquid.
Temperature
Stability