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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. 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
2. Which layer of the atmosphere lies directly above the troposphere and contains the protective ozone layer: the stratosphere or the exosphere?
Which layer of the atmosph… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
3. 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
4. Which gas makes up the largest proportion (about 78%) of Earth’s dry atmosphere: nitrogen or carbon dioxide?
78% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
5. 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
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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
9. 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
10. 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
11. What harmful solar radiation does the stratospheric ozone layer (O₃) absorb to protect living organisms on Earth: ultraviolet (UV) radiation or radio waves?
What harmful solar radiati… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
12. 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 questions · Seed 50 · 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. 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.
2. Which layer of the atmosphere lies directly above the troposphere and contains the protective ozone layer: the stratosphere or the exosphere?
Stratosphere
The stratosphere extends from the tropopause to about 50 km altitude and houses the ozone layer.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. What harmful solar radiation does the stratospheric ozone layer (O₃) absorb to protect living organisms on Earth: ultraviolet (UV) radiation or radio waves?
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation
Stratospheric ozone absorbs most high-energy UV-B and UV-C radiation from the Sun.
12. 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 questions · Seed 50 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Earth’s atmosphere & climate

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. 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
2. Which layer of the atmosphere lies directly above the troposphere and contains the protective ozone layer: the stratosphere or the exosphere?
Which layer of the atmosph… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
3. 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
4. Which gas makes up the largest proportion (about 78%) of Earth’s dry atmosphere: nitrogen or carbon dioxide?
78% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
5. 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
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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
9. 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
10. 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
11. What harmful solar radiation does the stratospheric ozone layer (O₃) absorb to protect living organisms on Earth: ultraviolet (UV) radiation or radio waves?
What harmful solar radiati… · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
12. 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 questions · Seed 50 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Earth’s atmosphere & climate

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. 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.
2. Which layer of the atmosphere lies directly above the troposphere and contains the protective ozone layer: the stratosphere or the exosphere?
Stratosphere
The stratosphere extends from the tropopause to about 50 km altitude and houses the ozone layer.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. What harmful solar radiation does the stratospheric ozone layer (O₃) absorb to protect living organisms on Earth: ultraviolet (UV) radiation or radio waves?
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation
Stratospheric ozone absorbs most high-energy UV-B and UV-C radiation from the Sun.
12. 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 questions · Seed 50 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification