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The sun radiates radiation in the UV, visible, and infra-red regions of the spectrum. When this reaches earth, some is reflected off the atmosphere/ clouds back into space. However, some passes through. UV radiation ionises molecules in the thermosphere, and this is the cause of the aurora. Infra-red radiation heats the molecules by giving them more vibrational energy (their bonds vibrate more), and this energy is transferred to other molecules via collisions (kinetic) or re-emitting the IR radiation. Therefore, during the day the thermosphere heats up, which causes it to expand slightly, which is why the height of the top of the thermosphere changes. This also affects the density of the air in the thermosphere.

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Where does the energy from the thermosphere come from?

Solar radiation


Which two layers of the atmosphere are responsible for the majority of the solar radiation absorption?

Stratosphere and Thermosphere


What does the threosphere do?

The thermosphere is a layer of Earth's atmosphere that absorbs solar radiation and causes the temperature to increase with altitude. It is also where the auroras occur due to interactions with solar wind. Additionally, the thermosphere helps to protect Earth by absorbing harmful radiation from the sun.


What does the thermosphere have?

The thermosphere is a layer of the Earth's atmosphere that is known for its high temperatures due to intense solar radiation. It also contains the ionosphere, where charged particles interact with solar radiation and create the auroras. The thermosphere plays a crucial role in radio communication and the propagation of radio waves.


The atmospheric gases in the thermosphere are heated by what?

The atmospheric gases in the thermosphere are primarily heated by solar radiation. This region of the atmosphere is closest to the sun, so it receives the most intense solar energy.


What 2 layers is the thermosphere made of?

The thermosphere is divided into two layers: the lower thermosphere (at about 80-550 km altitude) and the upper thermosphere (above 550 km altitude). The upper thermosphere is where most of the auroras occur due to interactions with solar radiation.


Why does the thermosphere have the highest temperature out of all the other layers?

The thermosphere is heated by solar radiation particularly in the far ultraviolet range; much of this is filtered out by the atmosphere's lower layers - but in the these upper regions it is more exposed to this kind of radiation.


Why does the temperature rise for the thermosphere?

The temperature in the thermosphere (above 80 km altitude) rises because of the absorption of high-energy solar radiation by the few gas molecules present in this region. This absorption of extreme ultraviolet and X-ray radiation leads to the heating of the gas molecules in the thermosphere.


Is the air in the thermosphere warmed by heat from Earth's survace?

No, the thermosphere is actually heated by the sun's intense radiation. The air in the thermosphere is very sparse, so it can be heated to extremely high temperatures due to the absorption of solar energy.


Why does the temperature in the thermosphere steadily rise?

The temperature in the thermosphere rises because of the absorption of high-energy solar radiation by gases like oxygen and nitrogen in this layer of the atmosphere. The density of these gases is extremely low, so there are few particles to absorb the heat from the radiation, causing the temperature to increase significantly.


What is What are facts about the thermosphere?

The thermosphere is the layer of Earth's atmosphere that lies above the mesosphere and below the exosphere. It is characterized by very high temperatures reaching up to 2500°C due to absorbed solar radiation. The thermosphere is where the International Space Station orbits and where auroras occur due to interactions with solar winds.


How does thermosphere protect life in earth?

The thermosphere acts as a layer of protection by absorbing and dissipating harmful radiation and particles from the sun, such as ultraviolet radiation and cosmic rays. It also helps regulate the Earth's temperature by absorbing solar radiation and preventing it from reaching the surface. However, the thermosphere itself does not provide direct protection to life on Earth from external threats.