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Is the atmosphere the same all the way up, or does it change as we go higher?
| Layer | Altitude | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Troposphere | Surface–12 km | All our weather happens here |
| Stratosphere | Up to 50 km | Contains the ozone layer |
| Mesosphere | Up to 80 km | Most meteors burn up here |
| Thermosphere | 80–700 km | Home to auroras and radio waves |
| Exosphere | Outermost | Very thin air fading into space |
- The atmosphere has a layered structure .
- Layers are defined by changes in temperature and density .
- Air density is highest near the Earth’s surface.
- It decreases with altitude.
- The five main layers are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere .
![3.3 Structure of the Atmosphere - Atmosphere and Climate - [Teachoo] - Concepts](https://cdn.teachoo.com/84b794c3-13fd-47e0-948b-2b6a405c414b/fig.-3.3.-the-five-layers-of-the-atmosphere-from-the-surface-up-to-space..jpg)
Definition — Altitude
The height of a location above mean sea level.
Usually measured in metres or feet.
The mean sea level is considered zero.
Usually measured in metres or feet.
The mean sea level is considered zero.
💡 DON’T MISS OUT
Temperature decreases with altitude only in the
troposphere
and
mesosphere
. In the stratosphere and thermosphere, it actually increases instead.
