← Where in the Air: Atmosphere Layers
Flashcards
Where in the Air: Atmosphere Layers
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Where in the Air: Atmosphere Layers — Study Flashcards
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| What are the four main layers of Earth's atmosphere (from lowest to highest)? | Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere |
| Troposphere — altitude range | Sea level to about 5 miles (8 km); height varies with weather and seasons |
| Troposphere — key facts | Densest layer (~75% of atmosphere's mass); contains all water vapor; composed of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and trace gases; temperature declines with altitude |
| What objects are found in the Troposphere? | Birds, clouds, commercial jetliners, hang gliders, helicopters, hot air balloons, model rockets, Mount Everest, parachutists, small airplanes, small UAVs, weather, X-57 Maxwell |
| Stratosphere — altitude range | About 5–31 miles (8–50 km) |
| Stratosphere — key facts | Contains the ozone layer; temperatures rise with altitude due to ozone absorbing UV rays; very stable, little turbulence; almost no clouds or weather |
| What objects are found in the Stratosphere? | Armstrong Limit, ER-2, Fighter Aircraft (F-35), Ozone Layer, Weather Balloon, X-59 QueSST |
| Mesosphere — altitude range | About 31–53 miles (50–85 km) |
| Mesosphere — key facts | Temperatures drop as altitude increases (as cold as -100°C); coldest layer of the atmosphere; meteors often burn up here; not much is known about this layer |
| What objects are found in the Mesosphere? | Meteors (shooting stars) |
| Thermosphere — altitude range | About 53–372 miles (85–600 km) |
| Thermosphere — key facts | Very little air; hottest layer (temperatures beyond 1000°C) because few molecules absorb intense solar energy; a person would feel cold due to low air pressure and few molecules to transfer heat; transition to space is around 62 miles (100 km) |
| What objects are found in the Thermosphere? | Hubble Space Telescope, International Space Station, Sounding Rocket, part of Communication Satellites |
| Ozone Layer | A part of the stratosphere with high ozone concentration that absorbs the Sun's dangerous ultraviolet-B rays, protecting Earth's surface |
| Armstrong Line (Limit) | The altitude (about 62,000 ft/19 km) at which liquids boil at human body temperature; a full pressure suit is needed above this height |
| What lies "Beyond the Exosphere" in this resource? | James Webb Space Telescope and Lunar Gateway, both located far beyond Earth's atmosphere |
| Why does air pressure decrease with altitude? | Because there is less gravity pull and less air pushing down from above as altitude increases |
| What NGSS Disciplinary Core Idea does this lesson address? | MS-ESS2 Earth's Systems |
| What Science and Engineering Practice is used in this activity? | Developing and using models |
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