The Earth’s atmosphere has four layers. The troposphere is the layer closest to the Earth’s surface and is responsible for weather events. The stratosphere contains the ozone layer, which protects life on Earth. The mesosphere is where meteors burn up, creating shooting stars. The thermosphere, where the International Space Station orbits, is where auroras occur. The troposphere extends up to around 7-20 km (4-12 miles), and its temperature decreases with altitude. The second layer is the stratosphere, which extends from the troposphere up to around 50 km (31 miles). This layer contains the ozone layer, which is vital for protecting life on Earth by absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The presence of the ozone layer makes the stratosphere warmer than the troposphere. Commercial airplanes fly in the stratosphere.

The third layer is the mesosphere, which extends from the stratosphere up to around 85 km (53 miles). The Earth’s atmosphere consists of four layers. The first layer is the troposphere, where weather occurs and where we live and breathe. The stratosphere has the ozone layer, which helps protect us from the sun’s radiation. The mesosphere is the layer where meteors burn up, creating shooting stars. The thermosphere is the hottest layer, where the International Space Station orbits and auroras occur. Despite its temperature, humans would feel extremely cold due to the low density of molecules.

Requirements for this Science Experiment