Atmosphere & Layers

By :Nadeem Rind
 Atmosphere

The atmosphere is the blanket of air that surrounds the Earth

 Composition of atmosphere
1. Atmosphere (air) contains
2. 78.08% Nitrogen
3. 20.95% Oxygen
4. 0.93% Argon
5. 0.03% Carbon Dioxide
6. Small amounts of other gases.
7. The Karman line; border between the atmosphere
and outer space.
8. Aerology : Study of the atmosphere
9. Climatology ,Meteorology : Science dealing with the
atmosphere & its phenomena
 Layers
There are five layers:
1. Troposphere
2. Stratosphere
3. Mesosphere
4. Thermosphere
5. Exosphere
 Troposphere
1. It is the atmospheric layer between the earth’s surface and an altitude of 8 km at the
poles and 18 km at the equator.
2. Helicopters, small aircrafts & chartered aircrafts fly in this layer
3. The thinnest layer of the atmosphere is troposphere
4. Tropopause is boundary between Troposphere & Stratosphere.
5. The temperature in this layer, as one goes upwards, falls at the rate of 5°C per
kilometer, and reaches -45°C at the poles and -80°C over the equator at Tropopause
(greater fall in temperature above equator is because of the greater thickness of
troposphere – 18 km).
6. The fall in temperature is called ‘lapse rate’.

7. It is also meteorologically the most significant zone in the entire atmosphere (Almost
all the weather phenomena like rainfall, fog and hailstorm etc. are confined to this
layer).
8. It is also called the convective region, since all convection stops at Tropopause.
 Stratosphere
1. It lies beyond troposphere, up to an altitude of 50 km from the earth’s surface.
2. The temperature in this layer remains constant for some distance but then
rises to reach a level of 0°C at 50 km altitude.
3. This rise is due to the presence of ozone (harmful ultraviolet radiation is
absorbed by ozone).
4. This layer is almost free from clouds and associated weather phenomenon,

making conditions most ideal for flying aero planes. So aero planes
fly in lower stratosphere, sometimes in upper troposphere where weather is
calm.
5. Sometimes, cirrus clouds are present at lower levels in this layer.
6. Also called dry layer
 Ozonosphere
1. Ozone Formula O3 ,Discovered by Charles Fabrey & Henry (1913)
2. It lies at an altitude between 30 km and 60 km from the earth’s surface
and spans the stratosphere and lower mesosphere.
3. Because of the presence of ozone molecules, this layer reflects the
harmful ultraviolet radiation.
4. The ozonosphere is also called chemosphere because, a lot of
chemical activity goes on here.
5. The temperature rises at a rate of 5°C per kilometer through the
ozonosphere.
6. Gases harm Ozone layer (CFC, HCFCS,Halons)
 Mesosphere
1. This is an intermediate layer beyond the ozone layer and
continues upto an altitude of 80 km from the earth’s
surface.

2. The temperature gradually falls to -100°C at 80 km altitude.

3. Meteorites burn up in this layer on entering from the space.

4. Also called as coldest layer

 Thermosphere
1. In thermosphere temperature rises very rapidly with increasing height.

2. Ionosphere is a part of this layer. It extends between 80-400 km.

3. This layer helps in radio transmission. In fact, radio waves transmitted from the

earth are reflected back to the earth by this layer.

4. Person would not feel warm because of the thermosphere’s extremely low pressure.

5. The International Space Station and satellites orbit in this layer. (Though

temperature is high, the atmosphere is extremely rarified – gas molecules are

spaced hundreds of kilometers apart. Hence a person or an object in this layer

doesn’t feel the heat)

6. Aurora’s and Satellites are observed in lower parts of this layer.

7. Also called artificial satellites layer

 Ionosphere
1. This layer is located between 80 km and 400 km and is an electrically
charged layer.

2. This layer is characterized by ionization of atoms.

3. Because of the electric charge, radio waves transmitted from the earth
are reflected back to the earth by this layer.

4. Temperature again starts increasing with height because of radiation

from the sun.
 Exosphere
1. This is the uppermost layer of the atmosphere extending beyond
the ionosphere above a height of about 400 km.
2. The air is extremely rarefied and the temperature gradually
increases through the layer.
3. Light gases like helium and hydrogen float into the space from
here.
4. Temperature gradually increases through the layer. (As it is
exposed to direct sunlight)
5. This layer coincides with space.
Composition of Earth
Layers of the Earth
The Earth is made up of 3 main
layers:
1. Crust

2. Mantle

3. Core
 Crust
1. This is the outside layer of the earth and is made of solid rock, mostly basalt and granite.

2. There are two types of crust; oceanic and continental. Oceanic crust is denser and thinner and
mainly composed of basalt. It is also known as Sima (most abundant minerals being silicate and
magnesium)
3. Continental crust is less dense, thicker, and mainly composed of granite. It is also called as Sial
(most abundant minerals being silicate and aluminium).
4. Thinnest layer of the Earth
5. Made up of large amounts of silicon and aluminum
6. Crust is part of the lithosphere.
 TheLithosphere
The crust and the upper layer of the
mantle together make up a zone of rigid,
brittle rock called the Lithosphere.
 The Lithospheric Plates

•The crust of the Earth is broken into many pieces

called plates. The plates "float" on the soft, semi-
rigid asthenosphere.
Mantle Middle
Mantle
Upper Mantle

Convection
Currents

Lower Mantle
The Mantle
The Mantle is the largest layer of
the Earth at 2900 km thick. The
middle mantle is composed of
very hot dense rock that flows
like asphalt under a heavy
weight. The movement of the
middle mantle (asthenosphere) is
the reason that the crustal
plates of the Earth move.
The Asthenosphere

The asthenosphere is the

semi-rigid part of the
middle mantle that flows
like hot asphalt under a
heavy weight.
Asthenosphere
The asthenosphere (“weak sphere”) is a soft layer of
the mantle on which pieces of the lithosphere move. It
is made of solid rock that, like putty, flows slowly- at
about the same rate your fingernails grow.
 Upper Mantle

Mantle Convection
Currents
Middle
Mantle
Lower Mantle

1. Solid but capable of flow (like fudge) Semi-Solid/Semi Liquid

2. Thickest layer of the Earth 2900km (1800 miles)
3. Element Composition: Magnesium, Silicon, Oxygen, and Iron
4. The hot magma rises then cools and sinks.
5. These convection currents cause changes in the Earth’s surface.
6. Conveyor belt for the tectonic plates.
 Core
Outer
Core

Inner
Core
 Outer
Core
1. Composition: Molten (liquid) metal that is about 4,700°C
(8,500°F)
2. Thickness: 2,266 km (1,400) miles
3. State of Matter: Composed of the melted metals nickel
and iron (liquid)
4. Located about 1,800 miles beneath the crust.
 Inner
Core
1. Solid sphere made mostly of iron and has Nickel

2. It is believed to be as hot as 6,650°C (12,000°F)

3. Heat in the core generated by the radioactive decay of uranium and

other elements

4. It is solid because of the pressure from the outer core, mantle, and
crust compressing it.

5. Thickness: 1271 km (800 miles)

 Temperature
increases as depth increases
 Density and Pressure
increase as depth increases
 Temperature,
Density and
Pressure increases
as depth increases

Add this statement to the

arrow going down on your
foldable.
 Which layer of the Earth has the
greatest temperature, pressure, and
density?

Core
• How far have scientists
drilled into the
earth?

•7.6 miles
– Only 0.2% of the
distance to the earth’s
core