Page 1 - LAYERS OF ATMOSPHERE AND ITS IMPORTANCE
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CHAPTER 13 – AIR AND WATER
TOPIC- LAYERS OF ATMOSPHERE AND ITS IMPORTANCE
LAYERS OF
ATMOSPHERE
TROPOSPHERE STRATOSPHERE MESOSPHERE THERMOSPHERE EXOSPHERE
ATMOSPHERE AND ITS LAYERS
Atmosphere: The thin blanket or layer of air surrounding the surface of the
Earth is called the atmosphere.
The atmosphere is divided into five distinct layers on the basis of variations
in temperature that changes due to increasing altitude. Air gets scant as we
move up in the atmosphere.
Starting from bottom to top, these are as follows:
1. Troposphere:
This is the lowermost layer of the atmosphere which is nearest to the
earth surface and is responsible for change in weather conditions.
The troposphere itself is said to contain about more than 75% of the
atmosphere. It extends up to a height of about 15km above the surface
of the earth.
2. Stratosphere:
This is the second layer placed just above the troposphere which contains
the ozone layer that absorbs harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun.