The troposphere is the lowest portion of Earth's atmosphere. It
contains approximately 80% of the atmosphere's mass and 99% of
its water vapor and aerosols. The average depth of the
troposphere is approximately 17 km (11 mi) in the middle
latitudes. It is deeper in the tropics, up to 20 km (12 mi), and
shallower near the polar regions, at 7 km (4.3 mi) in summer,
and indistinct in winter. The lowest part of the troposphere,
where friction with the Earth's surface influences air flow, is
the planetary boundary layer. This layer is typically a few
hundred meters to 2 km (1.2 mi) deep depending on the landform
and time of day. The border between the troposphere and
stratosphere, called the tropopause, is a temperature inversion.
The word troposphere derives from the Greek: tropos for "change"
reflecting the fact that turbulent mixing plays an important
role in the troposphere's structure and behavior. Most of the
phenomena we associate with day-to-day weather occur in the
troposphere. Pressure and temperature st