Why does the troposphere vary in thickness?

The thickness of the troposphere is primarily determined by its average temperature. This is why its thickness can vary from about 23,000 feet during…

What determines thickness of troposphere?

The thickness of the troposphere depends upon a number of atmospheric variables at latitude . The troposphere ranges from a thickness of approximately 5.5 mi (9 km) in the polar regions, to a thickness of approximately 10 mi (16 km) in equatorial regions.

Why height of troposphere is different at poles and equator?

The height of the tropopause is higher at the equator because the surface of the Earth is hotter in the tropics and there is more convection going on there. In the polar regions, the surface is colder and there isn’t much convection going on. Cold air is more dense than warm air and tends to sink.

How does the thickness of the troposphere relate to its temperature?

As the density of the gases in this layer decrease with height, the air becomes thinner. Therefore, the temperature in the troposphere also decreases with height in response. As one climbs higher, the temperature drops from an average around 62°F (17°C) to -60°F (-51°C) at the tropopause.

Why is tropopause colder at equator?

The height of tropopause is lower at the poles than at the equator. The rising air over equator loses more heat(as density decreases with height, air expands, looses energy and cools down) as it ascends about 18km from the surface.

Why do you think does the troposphere contain over half of all the air in the atmosphere?

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. As altitude increases, air temperature and air pressure decreases.

Why is the troposphere the densest layer of the atmosphere?

Properties of the Troposphere The troposphere is the shortest layer of the atmosphere. It rises to only about 12 kilometers (7 miles) above the surface. Even so, this layer holds 75\% of all the gas molecules in the atmosphere. That’s because the air is densest in this layer.

Is the atmosphere thinner at the equator?

The atmosphere is divided into five different layers, based on temperature. The layer closest to Earth’s surface is the troposphere, reaching from about seven and 15 kilometers (five to 10 miles) from the surface. The troposphere is thickest at the equator, and much thinner at the North and South Poles.

What happens to temperature as you go higher in the troposphere?

Temperatures drop as you move upward through the troposphere. Higher up in the troposphere, where less heat from the surface warms the air, the temperature drops. Typically, the temperature drops about 6.5° C with each increase in altitude of 1 kilometer (about 3.6° F per 1,000 feet).

Why are temperatures higher at the equator than at the poles?

Why is it hot at the Equator and cold at the poles? Due to the tilt of the Earth, the Equator is closer to the sun so receives more of its energy. The Equator has a smaller surface area so heats up quickly compared to the poles. This means more heat from the sun makes it to the surface of the Earth.

Why does temperature decrease with height in the troposphere?

In the troposphere, the temperature generally decreases with altitude. The reason is that the troposphere’s gases absorb very little of the incoming solar radiation. Instead, the ground absorbs this radiation and then heats the tropospheric air by conduction and convection.

Why is the troposphere thicker at the equator than the Poles?

Due to this, the Earth tends to shift air towards the equator which makes the troposphere thicker at equator than at the poles. The other attribute to thicker troposphere is the temperature which is the lowest at poles (being the farthest from the Sun) and the highest at the equator.

What determines the height of the tropopause?

Fundamentals of atmospheric modeling show that the height of the tropopause depends on the location, notably the latitude, and that the troposphere is roughly 8km higher at the equator than the poles depending on the time of year.

Why does the Earth’s atmosphere bulge at the equator?

Not only is it due to the fact that colder air is more dense and takes up less space, but the Earth is spinning rather fast. This spinning causes the entire planet, including the atmosphere, to bulge at the equator.

What is the relationship between temperature and atmospheric pressure?

Temperature plays an important role in the atmospheric air pressure. Over equator temperature is very high and due to this air pressure is low. It means more convection will occur at the greater altitude. That’s why the height of troposphere over equator is 17–18 km and over poles is 8 km.