Regions of the Atmosphere

Question 1

Troposphere

Answer 1

• Lowest region
• Heated from bottom: both sensible & latent heat fluxes, & longwave radiation from Earth’s surface
• Where most weather occurs

Question 2

Stratosphere

Answer 2

• Second-highest
• Heated from top (UV radiation absorbed by ozone)

Question 3

Where is ozone (O3) localised and why?

Answer 3

• Stratosphere
• Enough short wave radiation from sun to split O2
• High enough molecule density for O to collide with O2 -> O3

Question 4

Mesosphere

Answer 4

• Third highest/second lowest.
• Temperature decreases with height

Question 5

Thermosphere

Answer 5

Highest layer

Question 6

Tropopause

Answer 6

• Thermosphere/Stratosphere boundary
• 16km in tropics, 9km in poles
• because warm air is less dense
• (also varies seasonally)

Question 7

Planetary boundary layer

Answer 7

• Lowest part of troposphere
• Affected by Earth’s surface; fairly isolated from free troposphere
• Chemical measurements here indicate biological/physiochemical processes on Earth’s surface
• Increases in height during day (convective turbulence driven by solar energy)