Match the various layers of atmosphere (Column-I) with their characteristics (Column-II) and select the correct answer from the codes given below :
Column-I (Layers of Atmosphere) – Column-II (Characteristics of Layers)
(a) Troposphere – (i) Ozone is present
(b) Stratosphere – (ii) all clouds form here
(c) Mesosphere – (iii) high energy UV and X-rays are absorbed here
(d) Thermosphere – (iv) most meteors burn in this region

Question

Match the various layers of atmosphere (Column-I) with their characteristics (Column-II) and select the correct answer from the codes given below :  
Column-I (Layers of Atmosphere) – Column-II (Characteristics of Layers)  
(a) Troposphere – (i) Ozone is present  
(b) Stratosphere – (ii) all clouds form here  
(c) Mesosphere – (iii) high energy UV and X-rays are absorbed here  
(d) Thermosphere – (iv) most meteors burn in this region

Accepted Answer

Option 3 is the correct answer for matching the layers of the atmosphere with their characteristics. Let's explain why this is the case:

1. **Troposphere (a) - all clouds form here (ii):**  
   The troposphere is the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere and is where all weather phenomena, including cloud formation, occur. This is because it contains most of the atmosphere's water vapor and is the layer where temperature decreases with altitude, leading to cloud formation.

2. **Stratosphere (b) - Ozone is present (i):**  
   The stratosphere is the second layer of the atmosphere, located above the troposphere. It is characterized by the presence of the ozone layer, which absorbs and scatters ultraviolet solar radiation. This is why the characteristic "Ozone is present" is correctly matched with the stratosphere.

3. **Mesosphere (c) - most meteors burn in this region (iv):**  
   The mesosphere is the third layer of the atmosphere, above the stratosphere. It is known for being the region where most meteors burn up upon entering Earth's atmosphere due to the increased density of gases at this altitude, which causes friction and heat.

4. **Thermosphere (d) - high energy UV and X-rays are absorbed here (iii):**  
   The thermosphere is the fourth layer of the atmosphere, above the mesosphere. It is characterized by high temperatures and is where high energy ultraviolet (UV) and X-rays from the sun are absorbed. This absorption causes the temperature to increase with altitude in this layer.

Now, let's explain why the other options are incorrect:

- **Option 1:** Incorrect because it mismatches the characteristics of the mesosphere and thermosphere. It incorrectly assigns "high energy UV and X-rays are absorbed here" to the mesosphere and "most meteors burn in this region" to the thermosphere.

- **Option 2:** Incorrect because it mismatches the characteristics of the troposphere and stratosphere. It incorrectly assigns "Ozone is present" to the troposphere and "all clouds form here" to the stratosphere.

- **Option 4:** Incorrect because it mismatches the characteristics of the stratosphere and mesosphere. It incorrectly assigns "most meteors burn in this region" to the stratosphere and "Ozone is present" to the mesosphere.

In conclusion, Option 3 correctly matches each layer of the atmosphere with its respective characteristic, making it the correct answer.