The document summarizes the layers of Earth's atmosphere. It is divided into five main layers - troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. The troposphere is where weather occurs and contains gases like water vapor and carbon dioxide. The stratosphere contains the ozone layer. Temperature decreases with altitude in the troposphere but increases in the thermosphere. Air pressure is greatest in the troposphere and decreases with altitude. Solar energy drives heating and circulation in the atmosphere through the greenhouse effect.

1. Layers of the AtmosphereLayers of the Atmosphere
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2. Layers of the AtmosphereLayers of the Atmosphere
• The atmosphere is the layer of gases that
surrounds the planet and makes
conditions on Earth suitable for living
things.

3. Layers of the AtmosphereLayers of the Atmosphere
• Earth’s atmosphere is divided into several
different atmospheric layers extending
from Earth’s surface outward.

4. Layers of the AtmosphereLayers of the Atmosphere
• The troposphere is where all
the weather occurs.
• It is the closest layer to
Earth’s surface.
• It is the layer we live in.

5. Layers of the AtmosphereLayers of the Atmosphere
• The stratosphere is located directly above
the troposphere.
• This is where the ozone layer is.

6. Layers of the AtmosphereLayers of the Atmosphere
• The next layer up is the mesosphere,
followed by the thermosphere, and then
the exosphere.

7. Layers of the AtmosphereLayers of the Atmosphere
Space
Exosphere
Thermosphere
Mesosphere
Stratosphere (Ozone Layer)
Troposphere (Weather, Life)
Earth’s Surface

8. Atmospheric GasesAtmospheric Gases
Nitrogen & Oxygen
• These are the two most common gases
found in the atmosphere.
• They can be found throughout all the
layers.

9. Atmospheric GasesAtmospheric Gases
Ozone
• Ozone is a form of oxygen
• It is only found in the stratosphere

10. Atmospheric GasesAtmospheric Gases
Water Vapor & Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
• These are important gases for weather
conditions.
• They are found in the troposphere where
weather occurs.

11. Atmospheric GasesAtmospheric Gases
Trace Gases
• These gases are unimportant and found
in small amounts throughout the layers
of the atmosphere.
• Example: argon

12. Atmospheric TemperaturesAtmospheric Temperatures
Differences in temperature are what
separate each layer in the atmosphere
from the one above and/or below it.

13. Atmospheric TemperaturesAtmospheric Temperatures
In the troposphere:
• As altitude increases,
temperature decreases
Altitude Temperature

14. Atmospheric TemperaturesAtmospheric Temperatures
In the stratosphere:
• The stratosphere is cold
except in its upper
region where ozone is
located.
Altitude Temperature
Ozone
Layer

17. Atmospheric TemperaturesAtmospheric Temperatures
In the Mesosphere:
• This is the COLDEST
layer in the atmosphere.
Altitude Temperature

18. Atmospheric TemperaturesAtmospheric Temperatures
In the thermosphere:
• Even though the air is thin
in the thermosphere, it is
very HOT.
Altitude Temperature

19. Atmospheric TemperaturesAtmospheric Temperatures
Beyond the thermosphere
is the exosphere which
leads into outer space
where it is very cold,
because there is little to
no atmosphere to
absorb the Sun’s heat
energy.
Altitude Temperature

20. Atmospheric TemperaturesAtmospheric Temperatures
Outer Space
Exosphere
Thermosphere
Mesosphere
Stratosphere
Troposphere
Earth’s Surface
Temperature Altitude

21. Atmospheric PressureAtmospheric Pressure
• Air pressure is the
force exerted by the
gases pushing on an
object.
• Air pressure is greatest
near the surface of the
Earth in the
troposphere.
Altitude Air Pressure

22. Solar EnergySolar Energy
• Energy from the Sun is known as Solar
Energy.
• Solar energy is the driving energy source
for heating Earth, and circulation in Earth’s
atmosphere.

23. Solar EnergySolar Energy
• Some of the Sun’s energy coming through
Earth’s atmosphere is reflected by gases
and/or clouds in the atmosphere.

24. Solar EnergySolar Energy
• The land heats up and releases its heat
fairly quickly.
• Water needs to absorb lots of solar energy
to warm up.
• It is the water on Earth that helps to
regulate the temperature range of Earth’s
atmosphere.

25. Solar EnergySolar Energy
• Solar energy that is absorbed by Earth’s
land and water surfaces is changed to
heat that moves/radiates back into the
atmosphere (troposphere) where the heat
cannot be transmitted through the
atmosphere so it is trapped, a process
known as the greenhouse effect.