Troposphere facts for kids
The troposphere is the lowest part of Earth's atmosphere.
The troposphere is where Earth's weather like rain, snow, thunder, or storms occur. Clouds can form up to a height of 10–15 km. The troposphere is where people live, because it reaches down to ground level. The next layer up is called the stratosphere. Between the two layers there is the tropopause.
In the troposphere, the temperature goes down as the altitude increases. This is different from the stratosphere. This also means that the troposphere is quite unstable: gases can easily rise up or fall down. Hence the troposphere is well mixed. This vigorous atmospheric convection also causes the general atmospheric circulation.
Temperature
The planetary surface of the Earth heats the troposphere by means of latent heat, thermal radiation, and sensible heat. The gas layers of the troposphere are less dense at the geographic poles and denser at the equator, where the average height of the tropical troposphere is 13 km, approximately 7.0 km greater than the 6.0 km average height of the polar troposphere at the geographic poles; therefore, surplus heating and vertical expansion of the troposphere occur in the tropical latitudes. At the middle latitudes, tropospheric temperatures decrease from an average temperature of 15 °C (59 °F) at sea level to approximately −55 °C (−67 °F) at the tropopause. At the equator, the tropospheric temperatures decrease from an average temperature of 20 °C (68 °F) at sea level to approximately −70 to −75 °C (−94 to −103 °F) at the tropopause. At the geographical poles, the Arctic and the Antarctic regions, the tropospheric temperature decreases from an average temperature of 0 °C (32 °F) at sea level to approximately −45 °C (−49 °F) at the tropopause.
Interesting facts about the troposphere
- The term troposphere derives from the Greek words tropos (rotating) and sphaira (sphere).
- The atmospheric boundary layer between the troposphere and the stratosphere is called the tropopause.
- The general flow of the atmosphere is from west to east, which, however, can be interrupted by polar flows, either north-to-south flow or a south-to-north flow.
- The troposphere contains 80% of the total mass of the planetary atmosphere and 99% of the total mass of water vapor and aerosols.
- From the planetary surface of the Earth, the average height of the troposphere is 18 km (11 mi; 59,000 ft) in the tropics; 17 km (11 mi; 56,000 ft) in the middle latitudes; and 6 km (3.7 mi; 20,000 ft) in the high latitudes of the polar regions in winter; thus the average height of the troposphere is 13 km (8.1 mi; 43,000 ft).
Images for kids
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Diagram showing the five primary layers of the Earth's atmosphere: exosphere, thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, and troposphere. The layers are to scale. From Earth's surface to the top of the stratosphere (50 km) is just under 1% of Earth's radius.
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A view of Earth's troposphere from an airplane.
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A zonal flow regime. Note the dominant west-to-east flow as shown in the 500 hPa height pattern.
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Meridional Flow pattern of October 23, 2003. Note the amplified troughs and ridges in this 500 hPa height pattern.
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Atmospheric circulation shown with three large cells.
See also
In Spanish: Troposfera para niños
