troposphere

[ trop-uh-sfeer, troh-puh- ]

noun

, Meteorology.

1. the lowest layer of the atmosphere, 6 miles (10 km) high in some areas and as much as 12 miles (20 km) high in others, within which there is a steady drop in temperature with increasing altitude and within which nearly all cloud formations occur and weather conditions manifest themselves.

troposphere

/ ˌtrɒpəˈsfɛrɪk; ˈtrɒpəˌsfɪə /

noun

1. the lowest atmospheric layer, about 18 kilometres (11 miles) thick at the equator to about 6 km (4 miles) at the Poles, in which air temperature decreases normally with height at about 6.5°C per km

troposphere

/ trō′pə-sfîr′,trŏp′ə- /

1. The lowest and densest region of the Earth's atmosphere, extending from the Earth's surface to the tropopause. The troposphere is characterized by temperatures that decrease with increasing altitude. At the top of this region, temperatures are close to −55°C (−67°F). The weather, major wind systems, and cloud formations occur mostly in the troposphere.
2. See also exosphereSee illustration at atmosphere

troposphere

1. The lowest layer of the atmosphere of the Earth , extending from ground level to an altitude of seven to ten miles.

Derived Forms

• tropospheric, adjective

Other Words From

• trop·o·spher·ic [trop-, uh, -, sfer, -ik, -, sfeer, -, troh-p, uh, -], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of troposphere¹

First recorded in 1905–10; tropo- + sphere

Example Sentences

Jet streams, fast-moving currents of air high in the troposphere, encircle both poles, helping to push weather systems around Earth’s surface.

From Science News

Unlike the troposphere, temperatures in this layer increase with elevation.

From Science News For Students

Head to where the upper troposphere bathes the highest peaks.

From Science News For Students

Not surprisingly, the troposphere also is by far the densest layer.

From Science News For Students

To their surprise, Schill and his team learned that, on average, smoke makes up about one-third of the “background particles” in the troposphere, which extends from the Earth’s surface up to about five to nine miles above it.

From Popular-Science

Here, well above the troposphere, the air was thin and always clear.

From Project Gutenberg

Investigators have noted the importance of rain or snow in washing fallout particles from the air in the troposphere.

From Project Gutenberg

The dense reaches of the troposphere—the weather belt where storms are born—dropped below them.

From Project Gutenberg

At last Ken leveled off in the troposphere, at an altitude of five miles.

From Project Gutenberg

In distinction from the stratosphere, the part of the atmosphere lying below it is called the troposphere.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• atmosphere
• breeze
• wind