Hen Mount St. Helen's erupted in 1980, it sent volcanic ash 18 kilometers into Earth's atmosphere. Which portions of Earth's atmosphere were contaminated by the volcanic ash?

Astronomical location of Mount St. Helen's is 46°12′01″N 122°11′22″O, meaning that such statovolcano is located at middle latitudes. In middle latitudes, troposphere is 17 kilometers high, which is below stratosphere, whose height is 10 kilometers at middle latitudes. Hence, the eruption of Mount St. Helen's in 1980 contiminated troposphere and lower parts of stratosphere due to volcanic ash.

Explanation:

Astronomical location of Mount St. Helen's is 46°12′01″N 122°11′22″O, meaning that such statovolcano is located at middle latitudes. In middle latitudes, troposphere is 17 kilometers high, which is below stratosphere, whose height is 10 kilometers at middle latitudes. Hence, the eruption of Mount St. Helen's in 1980 contiminated troposphere and lower parts of stratosphere due to volcanic ash.

54 degrees incident angle = reflected angle

angle is from normal turned to line of ray