Atmosphere and Climate

Vocabulary flashcards based on the chapter summary covering the layer structure and functions of the Earth's atmosphere.

Atmosphere

The layer of air surrounding the Earth that makes life possible by providing oxygen, protecting from harmful rays, and maintaining a suitable temperature for living beings.

Troposphere

The lowest layer of the atmosphere, lying $0-12\,km$ above the earth's surface ($8\,km$ at the pole and $18\,km$ at the equator), containing about $75\%$ of atmospheric air and where most weather changes take place.

Tropopause

The upper boundary of the Troposphere.

Stratosphere

The layer of the atmosphere lying $12-50\,km$ above the earth's surface that contains the ozone layer, features stable air conditions where aeroplanes fly, and increases in temperature with height.

Stratopause

The upper boundary of the Stratosphere.

Mesosphere

The coldest layer of the atmosphere, lying $50-80\,km$ above the earth's surface, where temperature decreases with high altitude and most meteors burn up due to friction.

Mesopause

The upper boundary of the Mesosphere.

Thermosphere

The layer of the atmosphere also known as the Ionosphere, characterized by sharply rising temperatures, auroras, the orbit of the ISS in its lower part, and electrically charged particles that reflect radio waves back to Earth.

Ionosphere

An alternate name for the Thermosphere, which contains electrically charged particles that aid in radio communication.

Exosphere

The outermost layer of the atmosphere where the air is extremely thin, satellites orbit the earth, and the atmosphere gradually merges into space.