Q. Which of the following pairs are incorrectly matched?
1. Troposphere | The lowermost layer of the atmosphere and its thickness is maximum at the poles. |
2. Stratosphere | It contains the Ozone layer and has a negative lapse rate because of UV radiation. |
3. Ionosphere | Charged particles of the Ionosphere are not impacted by space weather events. |
4. Exosphere | Earth satellites Orbit in the exosphere. |
Explanation:
Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: The troposphere is the innermost layer of Earth’s atmosphere. Closest to the surface of Earth, we have the troposphere. “Tropos” means change. This layer gets its name from the weather that is constantly changing and mixing up the gases in this part of our atmosphere. The troposphere is between 5 and 9 miles (8 and 14 kilometres) thick. It is thinnest at the North and the South Pole. This layer has the air we breathe and the clouds in the sky. The air is densest in this lowest layer.
Pair 2 is correctly matched: The stratosphere is located above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. This layer is 22 miles (35 kilometres) thick. The stratosphere is where you’ll find the very important ozone layer. The ozone layer helps protect us from ultraviolet radiation (UV) from the sun. In fact, the ozone layer absorbs most of the UV radiation the sun sends to us. Life as we know it wouldn’t be possible without this layer of protection. Because of that UV radiation, the higher up you go into the stratosphere, the warmer temperatures become. The stratosphere is nearly cloud-free and weather-free, but polar stratospheric clouds are sometimes present in its lowest, coldest altitudes. It’s also the highest part of the atmosphere that jet planes can reach.
Pair 3 is incorrectly matched: The ionosphere is located between 80 and 400km above the mesopause. It contains electrically charged particles known as ions, and hence, it is known as the ionosphere. Radio waves transmitted from the earth are reflected back to the earth by this layer. Because the ionosphere is made up of charged particles, it's uniquely reactive to the changing magnetic and electric conditions in space. These conditions — along with other events like bursts of charged particles — are called space weather and are usually connected to solar activity. Along with regular weather from here on Earth, space weather is the other major factor that impacts the ionosphere.
Pair 4 is correctly matched: Exosphere is located between 700 and 10,000 kilometres (440 and 6,200 miles) above the Earth’s surface. It is the highest layer of Earth’s atmosphere and, at its top, merges with the solar wind. Molecules found here are of extremely low density, so this layer doesn’t behave like a gas, and particles here escape into space. While there’s no weather at all in the exosphere, the aurora borealis and aurora australis are sometimes seen in their lowest part. Most of the Earth’s satellites orbit in the exosphere.