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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. Which gas makes up the largest proportion (about 78%) of Earth’s dry atmosphere: nitrogen or carbon dioxide?
78% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
2. What happens to air pressure as you climb higher up a mountain (increasing altitude): air pressure decreases, or air pressure doubles?
What happens to air pressu… · 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. Which noble gas is the third most abundant gas in dry air (about 0.93%): argon or neon?
0.93% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
5. Why is the natural greenhouse effect important for life on Earth: it keeps Earth’s average surface temperature warm enough for liquid water, or it blocks all sunlight?
Why is the natural greenho… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
6. 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
7. 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
8. Which outermost fringe of the atmosphere gradually merges into outer space: the exosphere or the troposphere?
Which outermost fringe of … · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
9. 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
10. Which lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere (from the surface to about 8–15 km) contains most clouds and weather: the troposphere or the thermosphere?
8 · 15 km · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
11. Where on Earth do glowing auroras (Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis) occur when solar particles interact with atmospheric gases: in the thermosphere / ionosphere near the poles, or on the ocean floor?
Where on Earth do glowing … · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
12. 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 questions · Seed 104733 · 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. Which gas makes up the largest proportion (about 78%) of Earth’s dry atmosphere: nitrogen or carbon dioxide?
Nitrogen
Dry air is approximately 78% nitrogen (N₂), 21% oxygen (O₂) and 1% other gases.
2. What happens to air pressure as you climb higher up a mountain (increasing altitude): air pressure decreases, or air pressure doubles?
Air pressure decreases
At higher altitudes there is less overlying air column above you, so atmospheric pressure is lower.
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. 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.
5. Why is the natural greenhouse effect important for life on Earth: it keeps Earth’s average surface temperature warm enough for liquid water, or it blocks all sunlight?
It keeps Earth’s average surface temperature warm enough for liquid water
Without natural greenhouse gases, Earth’s average temperature would be below freezing (around −18 °C).
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Which lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere (from the surface to about 8–15 km) contains most clouds and weather: the troposphere or the thermosphere?
Troposphere
Almost all water vapour, clouds and weather occur in the troposphere.
11. Where on Earth do glowing auroras (Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis) occur when solar particles interact with atmospheric gases: in the thermosphere / ionosphere near the poles, or on the ocean floor?
In the thermosphere / ionosphere near the poles
Charged solar-wind particles excite oxygen and nitrogen high in the polar thermosphere.
12. 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 questions · Seed 104733 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Earth’s atmosphere & climate

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Which gas makes up the largest proportion (about 78%) of Earth’s dry atmosphere: nitrogen or carbon dioxide?
78% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
2. What happens to air pressure as you climb higher up a mountain (increasing altitude): air pressure decreases, or air pressure doubles?
What happens to air pressu… · 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. Which noble gas is the third most abundant gas in dry air (about 0.93%): argon or neon?
0.93% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
5. Why is the natural greenhouse effect important for life on Earth: it keeps Earth’s average surface temperature warm enough for liquid water, or it blocks all sunlight?
Why is the natural greenho… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
6. 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
7. 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
8. Which outermost fringe of the atmosphere gradually merges into outer space: the exosphere or the troposphere?
Which outermost fringe of … · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
9. 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
10. Which lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere (from the surface to about 8–15 km) contains most clouds and weather: the troposphere or the thermosphere?
8 · 15 km · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
11. Where on Earth do glowing auroras (Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis) occur when solar particles interact with atmospheric gases: in the thermosphere / ionosphere near the poles, or on the ocean floor?
Where on Earth do glowing … · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
12. 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 questions · Seed 104733 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Earth’s atmosphere & climate

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Which gas makes up the largest proportion (about 78%) of Earth’s dry atmosphere: nitrogen or carbon dioxide?
Nitrogen
Dry air is approximately 78% nitrogen (N₂), 21% oxygen (O₂) and 1% other gases.
2. What happens to air pressure as you climb higher up a mountain (increasing altitude): air pressure decreases, or air pressure doubles?
Air pressure decreases
At higher altitudes there is less overlying air column above you, so atmospheric pressure is lower.
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. 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.
5. Why is the natural greenhouse effect important for life on Earth: it keeps Earth’s average surface temperature warm enough for liquid water, or it blocks all sunlight?
It keeps Earth’s average surface temperature warm enough for liquid water
Without natural greenhouse gases, Earth’s average temperature would be below freezing (around −18 °C).
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Which lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere (from the surface to about 8–15 km) contains most clouds and weather: the troposphere or the thermosphere?
Troposphere
Almost all water vapour, clouds and weather occur in the troposphere.
11. Where on Earth do glowing auroras (Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis) occur when solar particles interact with atmospheric gases: in the thermosphere / ionosphere near the poles, or on the ocean floor?
In the thermosphere / ionosphere near the poles
Charged solar-wind particles excite oxygen and nitrogen high in the polar thermosphere.
12. 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 questions · Seed 104733 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification