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Layers of the Atmosphere
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Stratosphere
Characteristics: Contains the ozone layer, temperature increases with altitude due to ozone absorption of UV radiation. Importance: Provides protection from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation, Jet aircraft often cruise here.
Troposphere
Characteristics: Lowest layer, weather phenomena occur within this layer, temperature decreases with altitude. Importance: Contains 75% of the atmosphere's mass, birds and commercial aircraft fly here.
Mesosphere
Characteristics: Meteors burn up in this layer, the coldest atmospheric layer, temperature decreases with altitude. Importance: Protects Earth's surface from being hit by most meteoroids.
Exosphere
Characteristics: Uppermost layer, where atmosphere merges into space, air molecules can escape into space. Importance: Satellites orbit here and it marks the boundary to outer space.
Thermosphere
Characteristics: Space shuttles orbit here, has very thin air, temperature increases with altitude and can get extremely high. Importance: Home to the International Space Station and where the auroras occur.
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