Which atmospheric layer is extremely thin, contains a high concentration of ions, and experiences increasing temperature with height?

Which atmospheric layer is extremely thin, contains a high concentration of ions, and experiences increasing temperature with height?

• A. Thermosphere
• B. Mesosphere
• C. Exosphere
• D. Ozone Layer

Answer: (A)

This describes the thermosphere. In this layer the air is extremely thin, yet solar radiation ionizes many atoms, creating a region rich in ions and plasma. As you go higher in the thermosphere, the temperature rises because high-energy solar photons heat the few particles that are present. Remember, even though the temperature is high, the air is so sparse that it would feel cold to a person if you could move through it. In contrast, the mesosphere gets cooler with height, the exosphere is a very gradual thinning into space without a defining ion-rich, temperature-increasing behavior, and the ozone layer is in the stratosphere and isn’t characterized by high ion concentration or increasing temperature with altitude.

This describes the thermosphere. In this layer the air is extremely thin, yet solar radiation ionizes many atoms, creating a region rich in ions and plasma. As you go higher in the thermosphere, the temperature rises because high-energy solar photons heat the few particles that are present. Remember, even though the temperature is high, the air is so sparse that it would feel cold to a person if you could move through it. In contrast, the mesosphere gets cooler with height, the exosphere is a very gradual thinning into space without a defining ion-rich, temperature-increasing behavior, and the ozone layer is in the stratosphere and isn’t characterized by high ion concentration or increasing temperature with altitude.