What are the composition and pressure of the exosphere?

Asked by: Mike Gibbs

The exosphere’s composition varies from oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and helium at its base, to just hydrogen and helium in the outer limits. The exosphere’s pressure is about 0.0007 atmospheres at its base to virtually nothing in the outer reaches.

What is the composition of the exosphere?

The exosphere layer is mainly composed of extremely low densities of hydrogen, helium and several heavier molecules including nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide closer to the exobase. The atoms and molecules are so far apart that they can travel hundreds of kilometers without colliding with one another.

Is the exosphere composition or temperature?

Exosphere Temperature and Composition



Temperature is defined as the average kinetic energy in a system of particles. The particles of the exosphere possess a great of amount of kinetic energy because of solar and cosmic radiation, and it can reach temperatures of 987.5 degrees Celsius (1,810 degrees Fahrenheit).

What is the composition of the thermosphere?

In the upper thermosphere, atomic oxygen (O), atomic nitrogen (N), and helium (He) are the main components of air. Much of the X-ray and UV radiation from the Sun is absorbed in the thermosphere. When the Sun is very active and emits more high-energy radiation, the thermosphere gets hotter and expands or “puffs up”.

What is the air density of the exosphere?

The exosphere can be thought of as the uppermost region of a planetary atmosphere; its upper limit is the height where the density of atmospheric particles approximates that of the interplanetary medium (about 10² particles cm⁻³ at the orbit of the Earth).

What is the pressure of the exosphere?

about 0.0007 atmospheres

The exosphere’s composition varies from oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and helium at its base, to just hydrogen and helium in the outer limits. The exosphere’s pressure is about 0.0007 atmospheres at its base to virtually nothing in the outer reaches.

What is exosphere explain?

The exosphere is the outermost layer of our atmosphere. “Exo” means outside and is the same prefix used to describe insects like grasshoppers that have a hard shell or “exoskeleton” on the outside of their body. The exosphere is the very edge of our atmosphere.

Where is the exosphere?

Exosphere. This is the outermost layer of the atmosphere. It extends from the top of the thermosphere to 6,200 miles (10,000 km ) above the earth. In this layer, atoms and molecules escape into space and satellites orbit the earth.

What can you see in the exosphere?

Things Found in the Exosphere

• Earth’s Atmosphere Layers. The Earth’s atmosphere is composed of a mixture of gases — which we know as ‘air’. …
• Hubble Space Telescope. …
• Orbiting Weather Satellites. …
• NASA Research Satellites. …
• Satellite Photo Imagery.

What is the composition of the mesosphere?

The mesosphere is composed of the same gases as the rest of the atmosphere. However, because meteors and “shooting stars” burn up in this layer of the atmosphere, it also contains meteoric smoke particles which contain atoms of metallic elements such as iron, magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium.

What layer of the atmosphere has the highest air pressure?

The Troposphere

The Troposphere contains about half of all the air in the entire atmosphere. Because it i at the bottom, air pressure, or the weight of the air, is greatest in this layer.

What is the air pressure like in the thermosphere?

Pressure also changes as weather patterns move through areas. The standard air pressure at sea level is 14.7 pounds per square inch, or about 100 kilopascals. Air pressure is so minimal at the top of the thermosphere that an air molecule can travel large distances before hitting another air molecule.

What is the pressure of the stratosphere?

The pressure in the stratosphere is between 20,000 Pascals or 2.9 psi and 100 Pascals or 0.014 psi.

Why is the temperature in the exosphere?

Temperatures in the exosphere range from 0 to over 1700 degrees Celsius. At night, it’s cooler, and during the day, it’s even hotter. The exosphere’s air is extremely thin, consisting mostly of helium and hydrogen. Due to the distance, the temperature in the exosphere can reach 1600 degrees Celsius.

What happens to temperature in exosphere?

Temperatures increase again with altitude in the thermosphere, which begins about 80 kilometers (50 miles) above the Earth. They can rise to 2,000°C (about 3600°F). The exosphere begins at 500 to 1,000 kilometers (about 310-621 miles) and the few particles of gas there can reach 2,500°C (about 4500°F) during the day.

Is the exosphere a cold layer?

The exosphere is closer to the Sun than the other layers of the atmosphere and therefore is the warmest. However, the temperature of the exosphere varies greatly, usually between 0 °C and 1700 °C, and can even experience very cold temperatures, which is attributed to several factors.

What is the exosphere quizlet?

Exosphere. The outer layer of the thermosphere, extending outward into space. Exosphere-altitude.

What is the difference in meaning between the terms weather and climate quizlet?

Weather is short-term changes in the atmosphere, such as changes in temperature, air pressure, humidity, wind, and precipitation. Climate is the average weather pattern of an area over a long period.

What is the most abundant gas in Earth’s present day atmosphere quizlet?

Nitrogen is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere. It makes up a little more than 75% of the air we breathe. It occurs in all living things and makes up 3% of the weight of the human body.