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What happens to the atoms of gas in the thermosphere?
Thermosphere 53–375 Miles – In the thermosphere, molecules of oxygen and nitrogen are bombarded by radiation and energetic particles from the Sun, causing the molecules to split into their component atoms and creating heat.
What gases are in the thermosphere layer?
The gases that are found in the thermosphere are the lighter gases like atomic oxygen, atomic nitrogen, hydrogen and helium. There is mostly atomic…
How do atmosphere layers move?
Over land at night or in winter when the ground is cold. The cold ground cools the air that sits above it, making this low layer of air denser than the air above it. Near the coast where cold seawater cools the air above it. When that denser air moves inland, it slides beneath the warmer air over the land.
How does the temperature of the gases in the thermosphere change it with altitude?
How does the temperature change in the thermosphere and why? The temperature increases with increasing altitude in the thermosphere because of the intense solar radiation. The Sun radiates energy. Earth absorbs this energy and transfers it into the air molecules through radiation and conduction.
Why are gases at the top of the thermosphere so hot?
The thermosphere absorbs much of the radiation that Earth receives from the sun, leaving only a fraction to actually reach the surface. Ultraviolet radiation, visible light, and high-energy gamma radiation are all absorbed by the thermosphere, which causes the few particles present to heat up considerably.
Which gas is abundant in atmosphere?
Nitrogen
Gases. The most abundant naturally occurring gas is Nitrogen (N2), which makes up about 78% of air. Oxygen (O2) is the second most abundant gas at about 21%. The inert gas Argon (Ar) is the third most abundant gas at .
How does energy move through the thermosphere?
These waves and tides help move energy around within the atmosphere, including the thermosphere. Winds and the overall circulation in the thermosphere are largely driven by these tides and waves. Moving ions, dragged along by collisions with the electrically neutral gases, produce powerful electrical currents in some parts of the thermosphere.
Where is the thermosphere located in the atmosphere?
The thermosphere is located above the mesosphere and below the exosphere. The thermosphere lies between the exosphere and the mesosphere. “Thermo” means heat, and the temperature in this layer can reach up to 4,500 degrees Fahrenheit.
How do particles in the thermosphere break apart?
In the thermosphere and above, gas particles collide so infrequently that the gases become somewhat separated based on the types of chemical elements they contain. Energetic ultraviolet and X-ray photons from the Sun also break apart molecules in the thermosphere.
What is the composition of the lower thermosphere?
The composition of the lower thermosphere is primarily N2 and O 2, similar to the lower and middle atmosphere, but in the upper thermosphere atomic oxygen (O) becomes the dominant gas, due to the importance of photodissociation and molecular diffusion at high altitude.