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Earth’s atmosphere & climate

Identify the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere and their key features. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.

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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Earth’s atmosphere & climate

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Why do commercial passenger jets often cruise in the lower stratosphere: the air is smoother with fewer convective storm clouds, or there is no gravity?
Why do commercial passenge… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
2. Why are low-lying coral atoll nations particularly vulnerable to global warming: thermal expansion of seawater and melting ice sheets raise sea levels, or mountains grow taller?
Why are low-lying coral at… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
3. Which gas makes up about 21% of Earth’s atmosphere and is essential for aerobic respiration: oxygen or helium?
21% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
4. What causes the enhanced greenhouse effect (anthropogenic global warming): rising concentrations of greenhouse gases from human activities, or changes in Earth’s gravity?
What causes the enhanced g… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
5. What steady tropical winds blow toward the Equator from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and southeast in the Southern Hemisphere: the trade winds or the polar vortex?
What steady tropical winds… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
6. Which outermost fringe of the atmosphere gradually merges into outer space: the exosphere or the troposphere?
Which outermost fringe of … · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
7. Which three gases are the main greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere: water vapour, carbon dioxide and methane, or nitrogen, oxygen and argon?
Which three gases are the … · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
8. How does planting trees (afforestation and reforestation) affect atmospheric carbon dioxide: growing trees absorb CO₂ via photosynthesis, or they release coal?
How does planting trees (a… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
9. Which noble gas is the third most abundant gas in dry air (about 0.93%): argon or neon?
0.93% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
10. In which atmospheric layer above the stratosphere (50–85 km) do most meteors burn up upon entering Earth’s atmosphere: the mesosphere or the troposphere?
50 · 85 km · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
11. What global deflection of moving air and ocean currents is caused by Earth’s rotation (to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern): the Coriolis effect or the Doppler effect?
What global deflection of … · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
12. What do we call the day-to-day state of the atmosphere at a specific place and time, whereas the 30-year average pattern is climate: weather or geology?
30 · Earth’s atmosphere & climate

12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Earth’s atmosphere & climate

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Why do commercial passenger jets often cruise in the lower stratosphere: the air is smoother with fewer convective storm clouds, or there is no gravity?
The air is smoother with fewer convective storm clouds
The lower stratosphere is stable and above most turbulent weather.
2. Why are low-lying coral atoll nations particularly vulnerable to global warming: thermal expansion of seawater and melting ice sheets raise sea levels, or mountains grow taller?
Thermal expansion of seawater and melting ice sheets raise sea levels
Warming oceans expand and land ice melts, raising global mean sea level.
3. Which gas makes up about 21% of Earth’s atmosphere and is essential for aerobic respiration: oxygen or helium?
Oxygen
Oxygen makes up roughly 21% of the atmosphere.
4. What causes the enhanced greenhouse effect (anthropogenic global warming): rising concentrations of greenhouse gases from human activities, or changes in Earth’s gravity?
Rising concentrations of greenhouse gases from human activities
Burning fossil fuels and deforestation increase atmospheric CO₂ and methane, trapping extra heat.
5. What steady tropical winds blow toward the Equator from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and southeast in the Southern Hemisphere: the trade winds or the polar vortex?
Trade winds
The trade winds are prevailing tropical easterlies in the lower portion of the Hadley cell.
6. Which outermost fringe of the atmosphere gradually merges into outer space: the exosphere or the troposphere?
Exosphere
The exosphere is the uppermost atmospheric layer where gas molecules are extremely sparse.
7. Which three gases are the main greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere: water vapour, carbon dioxide and methane, or nitrogen, oxygen and argon?
Water vapour, carbon dioxide and methane
Triatomic and polyatomic gases like H₂O, CO₂ and CH₄ absorb and re-emit infrared radiation.
8. How does planting trees (afforestation and reforestation) affect atmospheric carbon dioxide: growing trees absorb CO₂ via photosynthesis, or they release coal?
Growing trees absorb CO₂ via photosynthesis
Forests act as carbon sinks by fixing atmospheric carbon into biomass.
9. Which noble gas is the third most abundant gas in dry air (about 0.93%): argon or neon?
Argon
Argon makes up about 0.93% of dry air.
10. In which atmospheric layer above the stratosphere (50–85 km) do most meteors burn up upon entering Earth’s atmosphere: the mesosphere or the troposphere?
Mesosphere
Air friction in the mesosphere vaporises most incoming meteoroids as shooting stars.
11. What global deflection of moving air and ocean currents is caused by Earth’s rotation (to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern): the Coriolis effect or the Doppler effect?
Coriolis effect
Earth’s rotation deflects winds and currents via the Coriolis effect.
12. What do we call the day-to-day state of the atmosphere at a specific place and time, whereas the 30-year average pattern is climate: weather or geology?
Weather
Weather describes short-term atmospheric conditions; climate describes long-term averages.

12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Earth’s atmosphere & climate

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Why do commercial passenger jets often cruise in the lower stratosphere: the air is smoother with fewer convective storm clouds, or there is no gravity?
Why do commercial passenge… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
2. Why are low-lying coral atoll nations particularly vulnerable to global warming: thermal expansion of seawater and melting ice sheets raise sea levels, or mountains grow taller?
Why are low-lying coral at… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
3. Which gas makes up about 21% of Earth’s atmosphere and is essential for aerobic respiration: oxygen or helium?
21% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
4. What causes the enhanced greenhouse effect (anthropogenic global warming): rising concentrations of greenhouse gases from human activities, or changes in Earth’s gravity?
What causes the enhanced g… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
5. What steady tropical winds blow toward the Equator from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and southeast in the Southern Hemisphere: the trade winds or the polar vortex?
What steady tropical winds… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
6. Which outermost fringe of the atmosphere gradually merges into outer space: the exosphere or the troposphere?
Which outermost fringe of … · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
7. Which three gases are the main greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere: water vapour, carbon dioxide and methane, or nitrogen, oxygen and argon?
Which three gases are the … · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
8. How does planting trees (afforestation and reforestation) affect atmospheric carbon dioxide: growing trees absorb CO₂ via photosynthesis, or they release coal?
How does planting trees (a… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
9. Which noble gas is the third most abundant gas in dry air (about 0.93%): argon or neon?
0.93% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
10. In which atmospheric layer above the stratosphere (50–85 km) do most meteors burn up upon entering Earth’s atmosphere: the mesosphere or the troposphere?
50 · 85 km · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
11. What global deflection of moving air and ocean currents is caused by Earth’s rotation (to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern): the Coriolis effect or the Doppler effect?
What global deflection of … · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
12. What do we call the day-to-day state of the atmosphere at a specific place and time, whereas the 30-year average pattern is climate: weather or geology?
30 · Earth’s atmosphere & climate

12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Earth’s atmosphere & climate

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Why do commercial passenger jets often cruise in the lower stratosphere: the air is smoother with fewer convective storm clouds, or there is no gravity?
The air is smoother with fewer convective storm clouds
The lower stratosphere is stable and above most turbulent weather.
2. Why are low-lying coral atoll nations particularly vulnerable to global warming: thermal expansion of seawater and melting ice sheets raise sea levels, or mountains grow taller?
Thermal expansion of seawater and melting ice sheets raise sea levels
Warming oceans expand and land ice melts, raising global mean sea level.
3. Which gas makes up about 21% of Earth’s atmosphere and is essential for aerobic respiration: oxygen or helium?
Oxygen
Oxygen makes up roughly 21% of the atmosphere.
4. What causes the enhanced greenhouse effect (anthropogenic global warming): rising concentrations of greenhouse gases from human activities, or changes in Earth’s gravity?
Rising concentrations of greenhouse gases from human activities
Burning fossil fuels and deforestation increase atmospheric CO₂ and methane, trapping extra heat.
5. What steady tropical winds blow toward the Equator from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and southeast in the Southern Hemisphere: the trade winds or the polar vortex?
Trade winds
The trade winds are prevailing tropical easterlies in the lower portion of the Hadley cell.
6. Which outermost fringe of the atmosphere gradually merges into outer space: the exosphere or the troposphere?
Exosphere
The exosphere is the uppermost atmospheric layer where gas molecules are extremely sparse.
7. Which three gases are the main greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere: water vapour, carbon dioxide and methane, or nitrogen, oxygen and argon?
Water vapour, carbon dioxide and methane
Triatomic and polyatomic gases like H₂O, CO₂ and CH₄ absorb and re-emit infrared radiation.
8. How does planting trees (afforestation and reforestation) affect atmospheric carbon dioxide: growing trees absorb CO₂ via photosynthesis, or they release coal?
Growing trees absorb CO₂ via photosynthesis
Forests act as carbon sinks by fixing atmospheric carbon into biomass.
9. Which noble gas is the third most abundant gas in dry air (about 0.93%): argon or neon?
Argon
Argon makes up about 0.93% of dry air.
10. In which atmospheric layer above the stratosphere (50–85 km) do most meteors burn up upon entering Earth’s atmosphere: the mesosphere or the troposphere?
Mesosphere
Air friction in the mesosphere vaporises most incoming meteoroids as shooting stars.
11. What global deflection of moving air and ocean currents is caused by Earth’s rotation (to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and left in the Southern): the Coriolis effect or the Doppler effect?
Coriolis effect
Earth’s rotation deflects winds and currents via the Coriolis effect.
12. What do we call the day-to-day state of the atmosphere at a specific place and time, whereas the 30-year average pattern is climate: weather or geology?
Weather
Weather describes short-term atmospheric conditions; climate describes long-term averages.

12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification