Page 35 - DK Children's Encyclopedia

Atmosphere SEE ALSO

▸ ▸ Atoms p.34
▸ ▸ Earth p.83
An atmosphere is a blanket layer of gases that surrounds a ▸ ▸ Gases p.117
planet or moon. The Earth’s atmosphere gives us the air we ▸ ▸ Meteorites p.164
breathe. It also keeps our planet warm, blocks harmful rays ▸ ▸ Sun p.247

from the sun, and stops space rocks from hitting us. ▸ ▸ Temperature p.252

▸ ▸ Weather p.271

Earth’s atmosphere The Hubble Space
The Earth’s atmosphere has five Telescope travels around
layers, each of a different thickness. Earth in the exosphere.
It takes amazing photos
The atmosphere gets thinner as of space.
it gets higher and closer
to space. Exosphere

The exosphere is the last layer
before outer space starts. It
reaches halfway to the moon.

Thermosphere
The temperature in this
layer can change a lot. The
thermosphere contains glowing
lights, known as auroras.
International
Space Station

Aurora
The first human in
space, Yuri Gagarin,
traveled around Mesosphere
the Earth in the This is the coldest part
thermosphere. of Earth’s atmosphere. It
stops falling space dust
from striking the Earth.

When a bit of space
dust burns up in the
Stratosphere Earth’s atmosphere
The stratosphere contains the it is called a meteor.
Highest ozone layer, which protects
skydive us from the sun’s rays.

Troposphere
The highest The troposphere begins at the
skydive started Earth’s surface. It is where all
24 miles (39 km) of our weather takes place. Airplanes fly in
the troposphere.
above the Earth’s
surface.

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