Question: What are the layers of the earth's atmosphere?

Answer:The layers in order of increasing height above the earth's surface:

Troposphere (surface of earth up to 10miles). Almost all of the mass of the earth's atmosphere in this lowest layer. All of the weather occurs in this layer. In general, temperature decrease with height in this layer. The top of the troposphere is called the tropopause.

Stratosphere (tropopause up to around 31 miles). This layers holds many gases but almost no water vapor. One of the beneficial gases in this layer is Ozone. Ozone absorbs harmful UV rays. In general, temperature increases with height in this layer.

Mesosphere (top of stratosphere up to around 53 miles). Some gases within this layer. Temperatures decrease with height.

Thermosphere (top of mesosphere up to around 430 miles). The gases in this layer absorb incoming X-ray and UV rays from the sun. Temperature increase with height. The ionosphere is located within this layer.

Exosphere (top of mesosphere up to around 6200 miles). Outermost layer of the atmosphere. Only a few molecules in this layer.

Check out this nice website from the National Weather Service for more information:  http://www.srh.weather.gov/jetstream/atmos/layers.htm