Final answer:
The temperature increases in the stratosphere due to UV radiation absorption by ozone and in the thermosphere due to the absorption of solar energy by ionized particles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason the temperature increases in the stratosphere and thermosphere despite a general decrease with altitude is due to specific atmospheric conditions and reactions. In the stratosphere, ozone absorbs ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which causes the air to warm.
The absorption of UV radiation by ozone occurs mainly between about 15 to 35 kilometers above Earth's surface, which leads to a temperature increase. This region of temperature increase is sharply contrasted with the troposphere beneath, where temperature decreases with altitude due to decreasing air density and decreasing heat absorption from the Earth's surface.
In the thermosphere, the temperature increase is even more pronounced. This increase is because solar energy is absorbed by a small number of particles that are present at these high altitudes.
Ultraviolet radiation and high-energy photons from the Sun can strip electrons from atoms, creating a layer of ionized gases in the ionosphere, which is part of the thermosphere. This process also contributes to the increase in temperature in this atmospheric layer.