All About the Atmosphere
This video is a part of Animated Atmosphere, a suite of short videos produced by the UCAR Center for Science Education with FableVision Studios.
The atmosphere has multiple layers, each with unique traits. Travel along and discover each of these layers surrounding our planet.
Transcript
Earth’s atmosphere is a mixture of gases that surround our planet like a bubble.
Some gases block harmful radiation from the sun, while
other gases allow us to breathe, making life on Earth possible.
Pretty big deal, right?
The atmosphere has multiple layers, each with unique traits.
The troposphere, where we live, contains most of the atmosphere's water vapor,
clouds and weather.
Above it is the stratosphere, where commercial airplanes fly
and where the ozone layer soaks up harmful UV rays.
The mesosphere is where most meteors burn up
when they bump into air molecules and become shooting stars,
and it includes the coldest part of the atmosphere.
The thermosphere absorbs X-rays and UV radiation from the Sun,
and it's where dazzling aurora displays light up the sky.
Satellites orbit this layer, and it's home to the International Space Station!
The exosphere is where Earth's atmosphere slowly fades into space.
Reach for the stars!