The
gaseous area surrounding the planet is divided into several concentric
spherical strata (layers, like shells) separated by narrow transition
zones.(The boundaries are know as '-pause') The atmosphere gets thinner,
the further from the Earth you go and so there is no clearly defined boundary
where the atmosphere stops and space begins, but more than 99% of the total
atmospheric mass is concentrated in the first 40 km from the Earth's surface.
Atmospheric layers are characterized by differences in chemical composition
that produce variations in temperature. Click on a part of the atmosphere
to find out more.
