1. Troposphere:
* Altitude: 0-10 km (0-6.2 miles)
* Characteristics:
* Contains about 80% of the atmosphere's mass.
* Where weather occurs.
* Temperature decreases with altitude.
* Contains most of the atmosphere's water vapor.
* Home to most living organisms.
2. Stratosphere:
* Altitude: 10-50 km (6.2-31 miles)
* Characteristics:
* Contains the ozone layer, which absorbs most of the Sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation.
* Temperature increases with altitude due to the absorption of UV radiation.
* Relatively calm and stable.
3. Mesosphere:
* Altitude: 50-85 km (31-53 miles)
* Characteristics:
* Temperature decreases with altitude.
* The coldest layer of the atmosphere (-90°C or -130°F).
* Most meteors burn up in this layer.
4. Thermosphere:
* Altitude: 85-600 km (53-373 miles)
* Characteristics:
* Temperature increases with altitude due to absorption of solar radiation.
* Very thin air, but can reach very high temperatures (over 1,500°C or 2,732°F).
* Home to the International Space Station and many satellites.
* Auroras occur in this layer.
5. Exosphere:
* Altitude: 600 km (373 miles) and beyond
* Characteristics:
* Outermost layer, gradually merging into space.
* Very thin and cold.
* Contains mostly hydrogen and helium.
* Satellites orbiting Earth in this layer are essentially in space.
Note: There is no clear boundary between the exosphere and space. The transition is gradual.
Beyond these five main layers, you might also hear about the ionosphere, which is a region within the thermosphere and upper mesosphere where solar radiation ionizes atoms and molecules. It plays a crucial role in radio communication.
