The temperature gets colder as you go upward in the troposphere.
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Original artwork by Windows to the Universe staff (Randy Russell).

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Troposphere

Layers of Earth's Atmosphere

Temperature in the Troposphere

The temperature gets colder as you go upward in the troposphere. Light from the Sun heats the ground. The warm ground gives off the heat as infrared "light". The IR energy heats the troposphere. The lowest part of the troposphere is the warmest because it is closest to the ground, where the heat is coming from.

Last modified April 1, 2009 by Randy Russell.

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