Lower Atmosphere

Basics

Unit 1
An introduction to the troposphere

The troposphere is the layer of the atmosphere closest to the ground.  It is where plants and animals live and where our weather takes place.  If we look towards the sky, the air seems to be endless. However, the layer of air surrounding our planet, protecting us and making life possible, is really very thin.

When we travel by aeroplane, 80% of the air mass is below us.  In this unit we look at how the composition and properties of the air vary with altitude.  We compare the dimensions of the Earth's surface with the dimensions of the troposphere and look at how the properties of the troposphere change depending on where we are on Earth.  Finally, we look at the composition of the air and see how very small amounts of certain chemicals affect our climate.