The atmosphere is divided into
five layers. It is thickest near the surface and thins out with height until it
eventually merges with space.
- The troposphere is the first
layer above the surface and contains half of the Earth's atmosphere. Weather
occurs in this layer.
- Many jet aircrafts fly in the stratosphere
because it is very stable. Also, the ozone layer absorbs harmful rays from the
Sun.
- Meteors or rock fragments burn up in the
mesosphere.
- The thermosphere is a layer with auroras. It
is also where the space shuttle orbits.
- The atmosphere merges into space in the
extremely thin exosphere. This is the upper limit of our atmosphere.