Read the text below and answer the following questions Scientists believe that the atmosphere has five distinctive layers, but the boundaries between layers are not sharp and can be hard to measure precisely. The layers and some of their features are: Troposphere: This layer extends up to about 13 kilometers (km) from the Earth's surface. This layer holds 75% of the atmosphere's mass. As you go higher, the temperature drops from an average of about 13 deg * C near the Earth's surface to - 50 deg * C at the top of the layer. The air pressure also drops from 1000 millibars (mb) near the Earth's surface to 100 mb at the top of the layer. Stratosphere: This layer lies directly above the troposphere. It extends from about 13km to 48km above the Earth's surface. The temperature of the bottom of the layer is - 50 deg * C but at the top, its temperature is - 15 deg * C_{n} The air pressure at the bottom of the layer is about 100 mb but at the top of the layer, the air pressure is only I mb. Mesosphere: This layer lies directly above the stratosphere. It extends from about 48 km to 85 km above the Earth's surface. The temperature of the bottom of the layer is - 30 deg * C but at the top, it is only 90°C. The air pressure at the bottom of the layer is about 1 mb but at the top of the layer, the air pressure is only 0.01 mb. Thermosphere: This layer lies directly above the mesosphere. It extends from about 85 km to 700 km above the Earth's surface. The temperature of the bottom of the layer is - 90 deg * C but at the top of the thermosphere it can be 350 deg * C or higher. The air pressure at the bottom of the layer is about 0.01 mb but at the top of the layer the air pressure is very weak at about 0.000001 mb. Exosphere: This layer is the uppermost layer, and it extends 10,000 km into space. In fact, it blends with what scientists consider to be outer space! The pull of Earth's gravity is so small in this layer that molecules of gas escape into outer space. Questions: What physical quantities were mentioned that characterize each layer of the atmosphere? How far above the surface is the Troposphere? Which layer has the lowest semperature? Which layer is the tiniest?Which layer is the farthest from the surface? Synthesis: "What forms the basis for dividing the lowers of the atmosphere?
Answer (1)
1. Physical quantities characterizing each layer:Temperature: Each layer is described by its temperature at the bottom and the top.Air pressure: Each layer has air pressure values mentioned at its bottom and top.2. How far above the surface is the Troposphere?The Troposphere extends up to about 13 kilometers from the Earth's surface.3. Which layer has the lowest temperature?The Mesosphere has the lowest temperature, reaching about -90°C at its top.4. Which layer is the tiniest?The Troposphere is the tiniest, extending only about 13 kilometers above the Earth's surface.5. Which layer is the farthest from the surface?The Exosphere is the farthest, extending up to 10,000 kilometers into space.6. Synthesis: What forms the basis for dividing the layers of the atmosphere?The layers of the atmosphere are divided based on changes in temperature and air pressure as you move higher from the Earth's surface. Each layer exhibits a distinctive pattern in the way temperature and pressure change with altitude.
