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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. Which gas makes up about 21% of Earth’s atmosphere and is essential for aerobic respiration: oxygen or helium?
21% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
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. 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
9. 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
10. 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
11. Which noble gas is the third most abundant gas in dry air (about 0.93%): argon or neon?
0.93% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
12. 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

12 questions · Seed 52 · 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. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
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. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.

12 questions · Seed 52 · 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. Which gas makes up about 21% of Earth’s atmosphere and is essential for aerobic respiration: oxygen or helium?
21% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
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. 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
9. 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
10. 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
11. Which noble gas is the third most abundant gas in dry air (about 0.93%): argon or neon?
0.93% · Earth’s atmosphere & climate
12. 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

12 questions · Seed 52 · 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. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
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. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.

12 questions · Seed 52 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification