Which atmospheric layer is characterized by the presence of the ozone layer?

The stratosphere is characterized by the presence of the ozone layer, which is situated within this atmospheric layer, approximately 10 to 30 miles above the Earth's surface. The ozone layer plays a crucial role in absorbing the majority of the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation, protecting living organisms on Earth. This absorption of UV radiation causes the temperature in the stratosphere to increase with altitude, creating a temperature inversion that distinguishes it from the layers above and below it.

In contrast, the troposphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere, where weather occurs and temperature generally decreases with altitude. The mesosphere lies above the stratosphere and is the layer where temperatures again begin to drop, making it the coldest atmospheric layer. The exosphere is the uppermost layer, where the atmosphere gradually fades into space, and it is composed mainly of very thin air. None of these layers contain a significant concentration of ozone like the stratosphere does.