Atmosphere interactive

The atmosphere is divided into a number of distinct layers. The lowest two are of particular interest to weather forecasters. Find them by completing the interactive below.

What to do

Each layer of the atmosphere has its own typical temperature profile. These are shown on the left in red, but they are in the wrong order.

1. Pass your mouse over the names on the profiles to learn more about each layer.
2. Click on the layer with your mouse, drag it to the correct position on the illustration of the atmosphere (far left), and drop it in position by releasing the mouse button.

The troposphere

• The thickness of the troposphere ranges from 8km at the poles to 14.5km near the equator.
• The troposphere contains most of the air molecules; 21% is oxygen (O₂), 78% nitrogen (N₂) and 1% is a mixture of other gases.
• The troposphere contains nearly all the water vapour and clouds.
• It is warmest near the Earth's surface, where sunlight heats the ground, and cools gradually by about 1°C per 100 m altitude.

The stratosphere

• The air in the stratsophere is cold and very thin, with almost no clouds.
• The stratosphere contains the jet streams: broad, fast 'rivers' of air that control the weather patterns.
• Temperature in the stratosphere increases with altitude to about -3°C due to atmospheric absorption of UV radiation.
• The stratosphere reaches from the top of the troposphere to about 50km altitude.

The mesosphere

• The mesosphere contains almost no water vapour (H₂O) or ozone (O₃) to help keep the air warm by absorbing energy.
• For this reason it is the coldest layer of the atmosphere.
• Temperature in the mesosphere falls with altitude to about -93°C
• The mesosphere reaches from from the top of the stratosphere to about 80km altitude.

The thermosphere

• The thermosphere has very few molecules and a relative increase in light gases like helium.
• The few remaining oxygen molecules absorb energy from the strong sunlight so temperatures may reach 1000-1500 °C.
• Air molecules become electrically charged (ionised) by the radiation and form the ionosphere (part of the thermosphere).
• The ionosphere reflects radio waves from the Earth's surface allowing them to bounce around the world. Near the poles the ions interact with the Earth's magnetic field to give the auroras (the northern and southern lights).

The exosphere