Lynn Engel, age 13, of Seattle, Wash„ for her question:

How did the ionosphere get its name?

The word ionosphere means a sphere, or ball of ions and ions are spec; atoms or atomic particles, Originally, these were normal atoms with a normal number of electrons orbiting their nuclei. But somehow they got into traffic accidents and either lost or gained. one or more of their electrons. They became ions, very active particles with extra, electric charges.

The ionosphere is a layer of thin atmosphere which begins some fifty miles above our heads, It is believed to be composed equally of the gases hydrogen and helium. These thin gases are constantly bombarded by powerful cosmic rays from space and it is these traffic accidents which turn the atoms of gas into ions. It is believed that these agitated particles may roach temperatures of 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit during the day time, though they are so far apart that they may not affect space travelers,

Actually the ionosphere is one of our best friends. It stops or slows down cosmic rays and it acts as a sounding board for radio waves. Without it, the; radio waves could not get over the horizon, but the ionosphere bounces them back to the ground.