Layer Name Temperature Trend Characteristics

Decreasing temperature as altitude  About 8 to 14.5 kilometers high above the Earth’s surface, but varies in
gets higher (about 68 to -76 ⁰F) different areas around the planet
TROPOSPHERE
 Weather usually occurs in this region

 The most dense layer

About -76 ⁰F  The boundary between Troposphere and Stratosphere

TROPOPAUSE
 Generally higher in summer and lower in winter.

Increasing temperature as altitude  50 kilometers (31 miles) high extending above the Troposphere
gets higher (about -76 to 32 ⁰F)
 Temperature inversion in stratosphere

 Has a high concentration of ozone

STRATOSOPHERE
 Ozone layer is located in this layer, which filters UV rays given off by
the Sun

 Air flow is mostly horizontal

STRATOPAUSE About 32 ⁰F  The boundary between Stratosphere and Mesosphere

MESOSPHERE Decreasing temperature as altitude  Extending 85 kilometers (53 miles) high above the Stratosphere
gets higher (about 32 to -140 ⁰F)
 The middle atmosphere consisting of cold, thin air, low oxygen level,
 and low pressure

MESOPAUSE About -140 ⁰F  The boundary between Mesosphere and Thermosphere

Increasing temperature as altitude  Extending 600 kilometers (372 miles) high

gets higher (about -140 to +140
 Oxygen molecules in this layer absorb energy from solar rays warming
⁰F)
the air

 Many atoms are ionized (have gained or lost electrons so they have a
THERMOSPHERE net electrical charge)

 Aurora takes place in this layer, and is also responsible for absorbing
the most energetic photons from the Sun, and for reflecting radio
waves, thereby making long-distance radio communication possible

 Satellite occurs in this layer

THERMOPAUSE About +140 ⁰F  The boundary between Thermosphere and Exosphere

Temperature is independent from  Extending to 10,000 km (6,200 mi) above the Thermosphere
altitude; temperature ranges from
 Uppermost region of Earth's atmosphere as it gradually fades into the
800- 2000 ⁰C,
EXOSPHERE vacuum of space

 Mostly consist of helium and hydrogen gases, and traces of carbon

dioxide and oxygen
ISA Temp= [+15 ⁰C] - [(Given Altitude x 2 ⁰C)/ 1000 ft)]
ISA Dev= A Temp - ISA Temp
ISA Dev= A Temp - [+15 ⁰C] - [(Given Altitude x 2 ⁰C)/ 1000 ft)]

Given:
A Temp= 75 ⁰C
Given Altitude= 15 765 ft

Find:
ISA Dev= ?

Solution:
ISA Dev= A Temp - ISA Temp
ISA Temp= [+15 ⁰C] - [(Given Altitude x 2 ⁰C)/ 1000 ft)]
ISA Temp= [+15 ⁰C] - [(15 765 ft x 2 ⁰C)/ 1000 ft)]
ISA Temp= [+15 ⁰C] - [(31 530 ft x ⁰C)/ 1000 ft)]
ISA Temp= [+15 ⁰C] - [(31.530 ⁰C)]
ISA Temp= -16.53 ⁰C

ISA Dev= A Temp - ISA Temp

ISA Dev= 75 ⁰C - (-16.53 ⁰C)
ISA Dev= 91.53 ⁰C
 Higher air pressure= higher concentration of air molecules
 Higher air density= higher air pressure (at constant air temperature)
 Lower air temperature= denser air molecules (sink)
 (At constant temperature) Higher pressure= denser air molecules
 (At constant pressure) Higher temperature= lower density
 (At constant density) Higher temperature= higher pressure
 There are two reasons why air pressure decreases as altitude
increases: density and depth of the atmosphere.
 Most gas molecules in the atmosphere are pulled close to Earth’s
surface by gravity, so gas particles are denser near the surface. With
more gas particles in a given volume, there are more collisions of
particles and therefore greater pressure.
 The depth (distance from top to bottom) of the atmosphere is
greatest at sea level and decreases at higher altitudes. With greater
depth of the atmosphere, more air is pressing down from above.
Therefore, air pressure is greatest at sea level and falls with
increasing altitude. On top of Mount Everest, which is the tallest
mountain on Earth, air pressure is only about one-third of the
pressure at sea level.
 Coriolis force, in simple terms, is the force caused by a rotating body,
let’s say the Earth, that causes free-moving objects, in our case, the
winds, to deflect in the direction perpendicular to the direction of
rotation.
 As for the Earth, since it rotates on its axis from west to east, our in a
counterclockwise motion, the winds then are deflected toward the
right in the Northern Hemisphere and toward the left in the Southern
Hemisphere. Coriolis effect leads to the formation of cyclones/
 hurricanes since as winds move through a curved path because of
the said effect, it forms a circular spinning motion as air rushes
towards its center, traveling from areas of high pressure to areas of
lower pressure. Aside from the rotation of the earth, there are two
factors affecting the Coriolis force (deflection): the wind speed and
latitude.

IMPORTANT UNITS:
 For pressure: 1 millibar = 1 hectoPascal = 0.0295301 in of Hg

ESSENTIAL FORMULAE:
 ISA Temp= [+15 ⁰C] - [(Given Altitude x 2 ⁰C)/ 1000 ft)]
 ISA Dev= A Temp - ISA Temp
 P= F/A
 P= TρR (wherein T is air temperature, ρ is air density, and R is
constant, with respect to the Ideal Gas Law)
 Pressure gradient= difference in pressure/ distance
 F= ma

References/ Simulations:
https://javalab.org/en/atmosphere_en/
https://javalab.org/en/air_pressure_en/
https://javalab.org/en/coriolis_effect_en/
https://www.weather.gov/jetstream/ll_analyze_slp
https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2020/04/14/project-weather-
school--crushing-can-experiment----how-temperature-affects-air-
pressure#:~:text=Cold%20air%20is%20more%20dense,lower
%20pressure%20associated%20with%20it.&text=Cold%20air%20on
%20the%20other,and%20hovers%20near%20the%20ground