As mountain climbers know, the temperature of the air drops rapidly with increas

Question

As mountain climbers know, the temperature of the air drops rapidly with increased elevation on the surface of the earth. However, there is a region of the upper atmosphere, called the thermosphere, where this relationship is reversed. The thermosphere is a region of the atmosphere between 80 km and 450 km above the surface of the earth where temperatures actually increase with height. In this region, temperatures can reacah 2000C. Paradoxically, the high temperatures are not accompanied by any degree of warmth; so little heat energy is present that an unprotected person would quickly freeze. Which of the following statements best explains the reason for this difference between the temperature and the amount of heat present in the thermosphere?

A. The atmosphere at this height is composed largely of inert gases, such as helium, that store little chemical energy

B. Individual molecules of gas in the thermosphere possess very high levels of kinetic energy, but the number of the molecules is relatively small

C. Most of the heat energy is stored as latent heat by the molecules as they dynamically change state among the gaseous, liquid and solid phases

D. High levels of energy are transferred into the thermosphere by solar radiation by day, but the energy is quickly radiated back into space at night

Explanation / Answer

Option d is the right answer

The temperature change in the thermosphere is because of solar activity. The radiation, UV rays all are absorbed in this layer and it is just below exosphere.

In the day time because of solar radiation the temperature increases and which is then reduced at night.

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