Meaning & use
thermosphere
Last updated
Meaning
nounsingulartechnical
The layer of the atmosphere above the mesosphere in which temperature climbs with height and auroras occur.
Grammar: Usually the thermosphere with the: it lies above the mesosphere.
Patterns
- in the thermosphere
- the thermosphere of Earth
The space station orbits within the thermosphere.
Auroras glow in the thermosphere, high above the clouds.
Temperatures in the thermosphere can reach over a thousand degrees.
Word forms
| plural | thermospheres |
|---|
Common combinations
- in the thermosphere
- Satellites in low orbit travel in the thermosphere.
- upper thermosphere
- The upper thermosphere is very thin.
- thermosphere temperature
- Thermosphere temperature changes with the Sun's activity.
- thermosphere heating
- Thermosphere heating rises during solar storms.
Synonyms and how they differ
- upper atmosphere
- Upper atmosphere is a loose everyday phrase, while thermosphere names one exact layer.
Word family
- thermospheric adjective
- relating to the thermosphere
- mesosphere noun
- the layer just below
- exosphere noun
- the layer just above
- atmosphere noun
- the gases around the Earth
Commonly confused: thermosphere or stratosphere? thermosphere or ionosphere?
thermosphere vs stratosphere
The stratosphere is much lower and contains the ozone layer, while the thermosphere is far higher.
thermosphere vs ionosphere
The ionosphere overlaps the thermosphere but is defined by electrically charged particles, not by temperature.
Practice
In which layer of the atmosphere do auroras and the International Space Station mainly appear?
Choose one answer.
Auroras and low-orbit spacecraft are found in the thermosphere. The stratosphere is lower and holds the ozone layer.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “thermosphere”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.