This image shows the average temperature profile through the Earth's
atmosphere.
Click on image for full size
Layers of the Earth's Atmosphere
The
atmosphere is divided into five layers.
It is thickest near the surface and thins out with height until it
eventually merges with space.
1) The
troposphere
is the first layer above the surface and contains half of the Earth's
atmosphere.
Weather occurs in this layer.
2) Many jet aircrafts fly in the
stratosphere
because it is very stable. Also, the ozone layer absorbs harmful rays
from the Sun.
3) Meteors or rock fragments burn up in the
mesosphere.
4) The
thermosphere
is a layer with auroras. It is also where the space shuttle orbits.
5) The atmosphere merges into space in the extremely thin
exosphere. This is the upper limit of our atmosphere.
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