Earth's Atmosphere is:
A mixture of gases with some suspended solids and liquids.                  

Three common solids in atmosphere:

• Ice
• Dust
• Salt - from ocean spray

Formation of the Atmosphere:
The Earth's atmosphere was formed by planetary degassing, a process in which gases like carbon dioxide, water vapor, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen were released from the interior of the Earth from volcanoes and other processes.

Troposphere- approx. ground to 10 kilometers ( approx 7 miles up)  

• The closest layer to the Earth.
• Contains 75% of our atmospheres gases
• Weather clouds and smog occur in the troposphere

Stratosphere - approximately 10 km - 45 km up (approx 7miles-30miles)

• The ozone layer is located here
• the jet stream is located here
• Little or no water vapor here

Mesosphere - approximately 45 km -95 km up (30 - 50 miles up)

• the coldest part of the atmosphere

Thermosphere - approximately 95 km -to 500 km (50 miles and up)

• Warmest layer of the atmosphere.
  1. lower layer of thermosphere is called the IONOSPHERE
     • Ionosphere made of electronically charged particles.
     • reflects radio waves
     • In the daytime this layer interferes with radio waves since suns energy charges the particles to much and causes problems a lot of static.
     • At night it is less charged. This is why it is easier to hear AM radio late at night
Exosphere - approximantly 500 kilometers and beyond
• Outer most layer of our atmosphere
• Very very few air molecules in this layer
• No clear boundary between this layer and space

To: Air Pressure - Barometer / Atmosphere Notes Page #2

To High Low Pressure Atmospheric Fronts - Page 3

To Wind: What Causes it? Notes page 4

To Fog: What causes fog and types of fog - Page 5

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