Troposphere Facts
Troposphere Facts
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| Interesting Troposphere Facts: |
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| The troposphere is located closest to the earth, followed by the stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and the exosphere. |
| The transitional area between the troposphere and stratosphere is called the tropopause. The jet stream or 'river of air' as it is also referred to, is located just below the tropopause and moves at approximately 250 miles per hour. |
| The troposphere extends from the earth's surface to approximately 33,000 feet (6.2 miles) high. However in warm regions like the equator it can rise as high as 65,000 feet (12 miles). In colder regions like the north and south poles, it may rise only as high as 23,000 feet (4 miles). |
| The depth of the troposphere varies among regions, and is affected by the season, time of day, and latitude. |
| The air in the troposphere is warmest closest to the earth and colder at higher elevations. |
| As an airplane flies higher in the sky the air density and air pressure decreases. Airplanes and jets that fly at high altitudes must be pressurized to account for these changes. |
| Most of the dust particles in the earth's atmosphere are found in the troposphere. |
| Most of the water vapour in the earth's atmosphere is found in the troposphere, which is the reason why most of the clouds in earth's atmosphere are also found in the troposphere. |
| The troposphere is not heated directly from the sun. Instead, the sun heats the ground and the ocean and this heat is then radiated into the troposphere. |
| The weather we experience on earth, including rain, thunderstorms, lightning, wind, tornadoes, hurricanes, typhoons and even gentle breezes, occur within the troposphere. |
| The troposphere is made up of approximately 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases, which include carbon dioxide, methane, neon, krypton, argon, helium, and hydrogen. |
| The troposphere contains approximately 99% of the water vapour in the earth's entire atmosphere. |
| Despite the fact that only a small percentage of the troposphere's gas is carbon dioxide, this is the determining factor in whether the earth is warm or whether it experiences an ice age. More carbon dioxide equals warmer temperatures while too little will result in another ice age. |
| At sea level the air pressure is at its maximum. As one goes higher up, away from sea level, the pressure decreases. So does the amount of oxygen. This is why mountain climbers and others who venture to higher altitudes require oxygen to breathe and to stay alive. |
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