Areas of the Atmosphere

 There are distinct layers of our atmosphere, and they all have different
 characteristics.  It all starts at ground level with the Troposphere.
 At ground level, the atmospheric air is much heavier than at the higher
 levels.  This means that essentially no meteorological activity occurs
 higher than about 48 miles high.  And 99 percent of it happens at altitudes
 lower than 20 miles!  The following table starts at the top, then works
 its way to the ground.
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Name                   Miles/km high           Temperature when ground
                                                temp. is 70 degrees F.
                                                F./C.
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 Thermosphere           100/62                  approx. -45 / -43
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 Mesopause              90/56                   approx. -76 / -60
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 Mesosphere             60/37.6                 approx.  -4 / -20
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 Stratopause            51/32                       low -75 / -60
                                                     hi  35 / 1
     Atmosphere is substantial enough to start reflecting light.
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 Stratosphere           30/19                   approx. -70 / -57

     Atmospheric chemical reactions create ozone and reflect much more light.
     This light gets reflected and altered in wavelength; thus, helping
     create the stable living atmosphere that animals require.  Weather
     balloons go into this area.
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 Tropopause             10/6                    approx. -15 / -27

     Clouds can form here, but can go no higher.  When you see a tall cloud
     that is flat at the top (or anvil shaped), it has hit the top of this
     level.  Jets also fly here.
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 Troposphere            to the ground                    70 / 21

     Clouds can form here and go up into the Tropopause.  As you can see,
     the temperature changes quite a bit as you get up into the very high
     levels.  In the tropopause and troposphere, temperature falls as the
     elevation goes up; this is called a 'Lapse Rate'.  These lapse rates
     (mathematical formulas), are used to determine height to the cloud base,
     snow elevation, and much more.