Question

Scientists were monitoring a meteor headed toward Earth. It moved off course, but some pieces of rock entered the Earth’s atmosphere. Which atmospheric layer protected the Earth against the danger of the rocks?

the troposphere
the stratosphere
the mesosphere
the thermosphere

Answer 1

the mesosphere

Step-by-step explanation:

The mesosphere is the lowest layer of the stratosphere and coldest layer of atmosphere. The incoming meteors and debris from the space are burned away in this layer. As the debris passes the layers of the atmosphere, the friction causes them to burn and destroy before these reach the surface thereby protecting the Earth's surface. On the bodies like mercury and moon, we can find the surface has many impact craters. This is because there is no atmosphere on mercury and moon which could protect their surfaces.

Answer 2

Mesosphere

Step-by-step explanation:

The atmospheric layer that protects the Earth against danger of the rocks is the mesosphere. This layer is above the stratosphere. The temperature drops in this layer to about -100 degrees Celsius. This is the coldest region of the atmosphere. The mesosphere burns up most meteors and asteroids before they are able to reach the earth's surface. It becomes cold enough to freeze water vapor in its atmosphere into ice clouds.