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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. 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
2. Why is carbon monoxide (CO) from incomplete fuel combustion dangerous in enclosed spaces: it binds to haemoglobin and reduces oxygen transport in blood, or it freezes rooms?
Why is carbon monoxide (CO… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
3. Which gas makes up the largest proportion (about 78%) of Earth’s dry atmosphere: nitrogen or carbon dioxide?
78% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
7. What happens to ocean pH when seawater absorbs excess atmospheric carbon dioxide to form carbonic acid: ocean acidification (pH decreases), or water turns into oil?
What happens to ocean pH w… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
8. 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
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. What term describes the fraction of incoming solar radiation reflected back into space by bright surfaces like snow, ice and clouds: albedo or viscosity?
What term describes the fr… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
11. 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
12. In the troposphere, what generally happens to air temperature as altitude increases: temperature decreases, or temperature boils?
In the troposphere, what g… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate

12 questions · Seed 49 · 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. 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.
2. Why is carbon monoxide (CO) from incomplete fuel combustion dangerous in enclosed spaces: it binds to haemoglobin and reduces oxygen transport in blood, or it freezes rooms?
It binds to haemoglobin and reduces oxygen transport in blood
Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless toxic gas that blocks oxygen delivery.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. What happens to ocean pH when seawater absorbs excess atmospheric carbon dioxide to form carbonic acid: ocean acidification (pH decreases), or water turns into oil?
Ocean acidification (pH decreases)
Dissolved CO₂ forms carbonic acid, lowering ocean pH and making it harder for corals to build skeletons.
8. 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.
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. What term describes the fraction of incoming solar radiation reflected back into space by bright surfaces like snow, ice and clouds: albedo or viscosity?
Albedo
Fresh snow and ice have high albedo (reflecting most sunlight), whereas dark ocean water has low albedo.
11. 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.
12. In the troposphere, what generally happens to air temperature as altitude increases: temperature decreases, or temperature boils?
Temperature decreases
The troposphere is warmed mainly from the ground up, so temperature drops by about 6.5 °C per kilometre of altitude.

12 questions · Seed 49 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Earth’s atmosphere & climate

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. 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
2. Why is carbon monoxide (CO) from incomplete fuel combustion dangerous in enclosed spaces: it binds to haemoglobin and reduces oxygen transport in blood, or it freezes rooms?
Why is carbon monoxide (CO… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
3. Which gas makes up the largest proportion (about 78%) of Earth’s dry atmosphere: nitrogen or carbon dioxide?
78% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
7. What happens to ocean pH when seawater absorbs excess atmospheric carbon dioxide to form carbonic acid: ocean acidification (pH decreases), or water turns into oil?
What happens to ocean pH w… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
8. 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
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. What term describes the fraction of incoming solar radiation reflected back into space by bright surfaces like snow, ice and clouds: albedo or viscosity?
What term describes the fr… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
11. 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
12. In the troposphere, what generally happens to air temperature as altitude increases: temperature decreases, or temperature boils?
In the troposphere, what g… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate

12 questions · Seed 49 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Earth’s atmosphere & climate

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. 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.
2. Why is carbon monoxide (CO) from incomplete fuel combustion dangerous in enclosed spaces: it binds to haemoglobin and reduces oxygen transport in blood, or it freezes rooms?
It binds to haemoglobin and reduces oxygen transport in blood
Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless toxic gas that blocks oxygen delivery.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. What happens to ocean pH when seawater absorbs excess atmospheric carbon dioxide to form carbonic acid: ocean acidification (pH decreases), or water turns into oil?
Ocean acidification (pH decreases)
Dissolved CO₂ forms carbonic acid, lowering ocean pH and making it harder for corals to build skeletons.
8. 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.
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. What term describes the fraction of incoming solar radiation reflected back into space by bright surfaces like snow, ice and clouds: albedo or viscosity?
Albedo
Fresh snow and ice have high albedo (reflecting most sunlight), whereas dark ocean water has low albedo.
11. 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.
12. In the troposphere, what generally happens to air temperature as altitude increases: temperature decreases, or temperature boils?
Temperature decreases
The troposphere is warmed mainly from the ground up, so temperature drops by about 6.5 °C per kilometre of altitude.

12 questions · Seed 49 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification