Education

Formation of Layers of Atmosphere

We know that there are different layers of the atmosphere around the earth. The formation of these layers of the atmosphere is based on the temperature. Also, another fascinating thing about these layers of the atmosphere is that only earth’s atmosphere supports life. This layer also protects us from harmful rays and radiations from the sun. the atmosphere is composed of different air.

Composition of Air

Following are the gases that are present in the layers of the atmosphere:

  • There 78 per cent of nitrogen.
  • The per cent of oxygen is 21.
  • 93 per cent of argon is present in the atmosphere.
  • 04 per cent of carbon dioxide is present in the atmosphere.
  • Also, there are traces of neon, hydrogen, helium, methane, and krypton along with water vapour.

Layers of Atmosphere

There are five layers of the atmosphere and they are:

  • Troposphere
  • Stratosphere
  • Mesosphere
  • Thermosphere
  • Exosphere

As the distance increases, the thickness of the layer decreases. The point where the atmosphere meets the outer space is known as the Karman line.

Troposphere

The layer which is closest to the earth is known as the troposphere. The thickness of this layer is close to 4 to 12 miles and contains half of the earth’s atmosphere. The clouds are seen in this layer of the atmosphere because most of the water vapour along with dust is present in this layer. Also, the air near the ground is warmer and the temperature increases with the increase in the height.

Stratosphere

The second layer is known as the stratosphere. This layer is present above the troposphere and extends up to 31 miles above the ground. The air present in this layer is dry and becomes thinner by thousand times than it is at the sea level. This is the layer where we can find flying balloons and jet aircraft.

Mesosphere

This layer is also known as the mesopause and gets extended up to 53 miles. This is considered to be the coldest part of the earth’s atmosphere as the temperature ranges up to minus 90oF. This is the layer where the meteors burn before reaching the ground.

Thermosphere

This is the second last layer of the atmosphere. The layer extends up to 56 miles and the temperature can get up to 2700oF. This is the layer where we can find the space shuttles and space stations orbiting the earth. Another interesting fact about thermosphere is that charged particles collide here which is known to us as auroras.

Exosphere

The last layer of the earth is the exosphere. It is the highest layer and extremely thin and this is where the layers of the earth merge with the outer space. The main composition of this layer is dispersed particles of helium and hydrogen.

We know that the atmosphere of the earth is held intact because of the presence of gravity. But did you know that as the earth rotation has an impact on the atmosphere? Yes, along with earth, the atmosphere also spins and this is due to friction between the ground and the different layers of the atmosphere.

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