Assignment in

Science
Jhune Dominique P. Galang
VII-James

Mrs. Riza Fontelera

Science Teacher

1. Define atmosphere.
Atmosphere is the nearly transparent envelope of gases and suspended particles that surrounds the Earth,
profoundly influencing environmental conditions on the planet’s surface. Without chemical processes involving
several of the atmospheric gases, life could not exist. The physical processes that operate in the atmosphere are
also vital importance because they are responsible for the Earth’s varied climates.
2. Describe the composition of atmosphere.
Many of the physical and chemical processes that occur in the atmosphere are directly related to its
composition. The atmosphere is now composed almost entirely of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and minute
traces of neon, helium, methane, krypton, hydrogen, xenon, ozone, water vapor, and dust particles, in their
diatomic forms (two atoms bound together by chemical forces). Diatomic nitrogen (N2) accounts for
approximately 78% of the total molecules in the atmosphere, and diatomic oxygen (O2) represent nearly 21%.
The inert noble gas, argon, accounts for about 0.9%, and the remaining 0.1% is composed of many trace gases,
the most significant of which are carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor (H2O). Although concentrations of
carbon dioxide amount to only 350 parts per million (ppm), the gas is vital in maintaining the Earth-atmosphere
system’s heat balance because it absorbs so much infrared radiation. Water vapor, present in highly variable
quantities ranging from 0% to 4% by volume, also absorbs considerable infrared radiation and, additionally, is
an essential link in the Hydrologic Cycle.
3. Identify the different layers of the atmosphere.
Meteorologists usually divide the atmosphere into four layers. In order of increasing elevation these are
the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and the thermosphere. Each has a different temperature range.
4. Describe each layer of the atmosphere.
Troposphere
The troposphere is the lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere. The layer of the atmosphere extends
from the Earth’s surface to a height of about 8km. The air in the troposphere is always in constant motion with
both horizontal and vertical air currents. Throughout the troposphere, the temperature decreases with altitude at
about 2°C per 1000ft, reaching about -57°C at its apex called the tropopause. Gases at the troposphere are
essential to life. Weather changes occur in the troposphere. The temperature of the troposphere is warmest in the
tropical (latitude 0º to about 30º north and south) and subtropical (latitude about 30º to about 40º north and
south) climatic zones and coldest at the polar climatic zones (latitude about 70º to 90º north and south).
Observations from weather balloons have shown that temperature decreases with height at an average of 6.5º C
per 1000 m (3.6º F per 1000 ft), reaching about -80º C (about -110º F) above the tropical regions and about -50º
C (about -60º F) above the polar regions.

Stratosphere
The stratosphere is the second lowest of the four atmospheric layers. Its lower boundary is called the
troposphere and its upper boundary is called the stratopause. The underlying troposphere is characterized
by a vertical temperature gradient and thus vertical instability (weather changes). In contrast, temperatures
in the stratosphere remain the same or even increase with increasing height, which indicates vertical
stability. The stratospheric air flow is mainly horizontal. Ultraviolet absorption by ozone causes the high
temperatures of the stratopause, which is usually 48 to 53km (30 to 33mi) above the Earth’s surface.
Mesosphere
The warm stratopause, about 0°C (32°F) in temperature and existing roughly 50km (30mi) above sea
level, and the cold mesopause, about -90°C (-130°F) and 80km (50mi) above sea level, form the lower and
upper boundaries of the mesosphere. The decrease of temperature with increasing altitude, as within the
troposphere, is caused by absorption of solar radiation at the base (the ozone layer and the Earth’s surface,
respectively) and the adiabatic cooling of rising air parcels. The actual temperature at the mesopause
behaves in a strange manner. Above the poles, the winter temperature are about -30°C (-20°F), not much
different from those at the polar surfaces. The upper mesospheric summer temperatures, however, can be as
low as -140°C (-96°F), which are the lowest temperatures naturally occurring on Earth. Solar absorption
apparently does not take place near the mesopause.
Thermosphere
The thermosphere is the highest and largest of the four atmospheric layers. It extends from the
mesopause (about 80km/ 50mi above sea level), where the average is a low of about -80oC (-112°F), to the
thermopause (about 600km/375mi above sea level), where the temperature may reach highs of 225°C
(440°F) at night during a period of minimum solar activity, and 1,475°C (2,690°F) in the daytime during a
period of maximum solar activity. The upper part of the thermosphere is warm, because it readily absorbs
solar ultraviolet radiation, which has the additional effect generating the ionosphere. The thermosphere is
the only heterogeneous atmospheric layer. Vertical mixing takes place in the lowest 80km (50mi).
 Composition changes drastically at higher levels, with gravity pulling the heavier gases (oxygen and
nitrogen) downward, thus leaving helium and hydrogen as the predominant gases in the upper reaches.

Other distinct layers

Ionosphere
Ionosphere is a name given to a layer or layers of ionized air in the atmosphere extending from almost
60 km (about 50 mi) above the surface of the earth to altitudes of 1000 km (600 mi) and more. At these altitudes
the air is extremely thin, having about the density of the gas in a vacuum tube, and when the atmospheric
particles are ionized by ultraviolet radiation from the sun or by other radiation, they tend to remain ionized,
because few collisions occur between ions.
Exosphere
Exosphere is the outermost portion of the Earth’s atmosphere, at altitudes beyond 450-600km (280-
370mi). Atoms of atmospheric gas in this region readily escape into space after colliding with each other.
Helium is the most abundant exospheric gas. Atomic hydrogen is the more common than atomic oxygen
above 850kim (530mi), and molecular nitrogen (N2), molecular oxygen (O2), and argon become quite rare
with greater altitude, the temperature of the exosphere is about 700°C (1,300°F), but it can vary from only
300°C (570°F) during sunspot minimums to as high as 1,700 °C (3,090°F) at sunspot maximums.
Ozone layer
Ozone Layer is a region of the atmosphere from 19 to 48 km (12 to 30 mi) above Earth's surface. Ozone
concentrations of up to 10 parts per million occur in the ozone layer. The ozone forms there by the action of
sunlight on oxygen. This action has been taking place for many millions of years, but naturally occurring
nitrogen compounds in the atmosphere apparently have kept the ozone concentration at a fairly stable level.