Layers of the atmosphere: Simply explained

The layers of the atmosphere are impressive and different. The atmosphere as a whole reaches up to an altitude of about 10,000 metres.

The layers of the atmosphere

Our Earth’s atmosphere has an important job. It protects the planet and thus all its living creatures from the influences of the sun and outer space. Without it, life on Earth would not be possible. As a rule, the atmosphere is simply called “air”. It is composed of about 78 % nitrogen, 20 % oxygen, 1 % noble gases and another 1 % of various aerosols. The atmosphere is divided into different layers in which different conditions prevail. These are the layers of the atmosphere:

• Troposphere: Sounds impressive, but it is not yet, because this is the layer in which we live. It reaches up to an altitude of about 15 kilometres. Over the equator it is even up to 17 kilometres high, while over the poles it is only about 8 kilometres high. This layer contains up to 90 % of the total air mass and almost all the water vapour in the atmosphere. Passenger planes usually fly in the troposphere, namely about 10 to 12 kilometres high. Temperatures of up to -80 °C can prevail at the upper limit of this atmospheric layer.

• Stratosphere: This starts at an altitude of about 15 kilometres and goes up to an altitude of about 50 kilometres. Here it no longer gets colder, but the temperatures increase, because here the UV radiation is absorbed by the ozone layer.

• Mesosphere: This reaches an altitude of up to 85 kilometres. In this area, for example, small dust particles or rock fragments burn up. You can admire this spectacle as shooting stars. Temperatures drop again here and can be as low as -100 °C. The air density here is only about 1/1000 of the density at sea level.

• Thermosphere: It reaches an altitude of up to 500 kilometres. The temperature here is 1,700 °C. The ISS space station, for example, flies at this altitude.

• Exosphere: This is the outermost layer of our atmosphere and reaches an altitude of up to 10,000 kilometres. This is where the smooth transition to space is found. The Earth’s gravitational pull decreases more and more.