How far up (in Kilometers) does the atmospher, go up?

Question

From the earth's ground to the top of the,...where the air stops!

Answer 1

This site has lots of info on this subject:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge_of_space

Answer 2

The air never really stops ... it just keeps getting thinner and thinner.

The "official" edge of the atmosphere is 100 km, which is the minimum altitude an object needs to be to stay in orbit. But all satellites, even those in high orbits, are slowed due to the very slight friction with earth's atmosphere, and eventually will re-enter the atmosphere.

The only exception is the Moon, which is so large that it gains momentum from the Earth's spin.

Answer 3

The air doesn't just stop. Its density continuously decreases with increasing altitude. Somewhere between 5000 miles and 23000 miles (geosynch orbit) its density is so low that its drag effect at orbital speed becomes insignificant, such that orbital lifetimes are many years. For space shuttle operations, NASA is interested in air density as it relates to reentry heating. They consider the "entry interface" to be at 400,000 feet altitude; below this height there is significant heating, and aerodynamic effects begin to be present.
If the air were the same temperature and humidity at all altitudes, you could calculate its density as an exponential function; with density decreasing by a factor of 1/e every 8 km (see ref.). However it not only varies in temperature and humidity with altitude, but also regionally over the surface of the earth, and in time as a function of heating caused by the solar wind, which follows a roughly 11-year cycle.

Answer 4

The air around the earth is called as atmosphere and extends to over 200Kms above the surface of Earth. Different layers (in ascending order) of the atmosphere and their altitudes are as follows:

1. Troposphere - 8 to 16 Kms above Sea level
2. Stratosphere - About 50 Kms above Sea level
3. Mesosphere - About 80 Kms above Sea level
4. Ionosphere - Over 200 Kms above Sea level

The area of separation between the Troposphere and the Stratosphere is called Tropopause.
Nearly all of the weather changes occur, and nearly all the water vapour of the atmosphere is contained in the Troposphere, which extends to a height of about 8 Kms above the Poles and 16Kms above the Equator.

Answer 5

Space Station orbits the earth at 350 KMS above the surface of the earth... not sure if thats the official end of the atmosphere

Answer 6

well the atmospher i about 30 kilometers thick as you said where the air STOPs !!