Layers of the Atmosphere

Atmospheric Layers

• The atmosphere can be divided into five layers with transitional regions between most.

• Each layer possesses individual characteristics, the most important differences are in temperature and air pressure.

Atmospheric Layers

• The five distinct layers are:– Troposhere– Stratosphere– Mesophere– Ionosphere (thermosphere)– Magnetosphere

Troposphere

• The layer directly above the Earth’s surface.

• This layer is where all of the Earth’s weather occurs.

• Air currents and the friction caused by the Earth’s rotation make currents in the troposphere the roughest of all layers.

• Located from the Earth’s surface up to approximately 10 km.

Tropopause

• The transitional layer that separates the troposphere and the stratosphere.

• It ranges from 16 km at the equator to only about 9 km at the poles.

• The temperature stops falling and stabilizes at approximately -55 C.

Stratosphere

• This layer contains:– The jet stream: Affects the

movement of storms in the troposphere.

– The ozone layer: Filters out harmful solar rays.

Stratosphere

• Vertical air movement is minimal but there are horizontal currents (jet stream).

• Studying jet streams helps to determine daily temperatures and precipitation.

Stratopause

• The transition zone between the stratosphere and the Mesosphere.

• Temperature stops increasing and thins out with altitude.

• This layer is the beginning of the outer atmosphere.

Mesosphere

• The temperature drops steadily until it reaches about -100 C.

• In the Mesopause (transition zone) the temperature stabilizes and rises once again.

Ionosphere

• The widest layer ranging from 80 to 480 km.

• The is very little air at this level. Air temperature increases.

• As electrons and ions are created in the ionosphere radiant energy is converted into thermal energy.

Magnetosphere

• This layer sometimes traps solar wind.

• Solar wind results when magnetic storms on the sun send streams of radioactive particles towards Earth.

• The rotation of the Earth makes the planet behave like a magnet. The charged particles from the sun align themselves with the North and South poles, forming streaks of light in the sky.

Magnetopause

• This layer forms a sharp divide between the atmosphere and space.

• Unlike the other layers the magnetopause does not form a symmetrical layer around the Earth, it is shaped like a tear drop.

What’s the Diff?

• There are 3 main differences between Plants and Animal cells:

– Cell Wall– Chloroplasts– Vacuole

Cell Wall

• The Cell wall is a fibrous wall that is a fibrous wall that provides structure and support for provides structure and support for the plant cell. the plant cell.

• The cell wall is made up of a The cell wall is made up of a material called material called cellulosecellulose..

Chloroplasts

• The The ChloroplastsChloroplasts are the are the oorganelles that allow plant cells to rganelles that allow plant cells to make their own food through the make their own food through the process of process of photosynthesisphotosynthesis..

Vacuoles

• Both plant and animal cells have vacuoles.

• Vacuoles are much larger in plant cells because plant cells need to be able to store more water than animal cells.