Vertical Structure of the Atmosphere

 http://www.teachersdomain.org/asset/ess05_int_vertical/

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1.Why are the four major layers of the atmosphere separated where they are?

2.What increases the temperature in the stratosphere?

3.Can planes fly in the mesosphere? Why or why not?

4.On what does the temperature in the thermosphere depend?

 

ANSWERS:

1.Because the density of atmospheric pressure increases.

2.This layer is defined by a temperature reversal, or inversion of the pattern seen in the troposphere.In other words, air temperature increase with altitude.This is a result of  the high concentration of ozone(O3) in the stratosphere. ozone absorbs ultraviolet(UV) radiation from the sun and converts this energy into heat, causing air temperature to increase.

3. No, because the mesosphere resides from about 50 kilometers to 80-90 kilometers above the Earth's surface.Most(99.9%) of the mass of the atmosphere lies below this layers, so air pressure and density in mesosphere are extreamely low (about 1/1000th that of the surface). so if an airplane fly in mesosphere all person in the airplane will die.

4. thermosphere's temperature depends in the suns ultraviolet radiation that it absorbs.