4.1.1 Study Sheet #5 Practice Quiz

The ozone layer, which is located inside the stratosphere, acts as a barrier that blocks ultraviolet radiation. Ozone molecules in the ozone layer absorb and scatter the incoming UV rays, preventing them from reaching the Earth's surface in high amounts. This protective layer plays a crucial role in shielding living organisms from harmful UV radiation, which can cause various health issues such as skin cancer and cataracts.

The atmosphere is primarily composed of oxygen and nitrogen, with nitrogen making up the majority of it. Nitrogen comprises about 78% of the Earth's atmosphere, while oxygen accounts for around 21%. Therefore, it is accurate to say that 99 percent of the atmosphere is made up of either oxygen or nitrogen. The symbol for nitrogen is N.

The correct answer is troposphere. The troposphere is the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, extending from the surface up to an average height of about 7-20 kilometers. This is where weather occurs and where humans live and breathe. The options tropasphere and trapasphere are incorrect spellings and do not represent any recognized atmospheric layer.

The ionosphere is a layer of the atmosphere located inside the thermosphere. The thermosphere is the uppermost layer of the atmosphere, extending from about 80 kilometers above the Earth's surface to the edge of space. It is characterized by high temperatures and the presence of ions and free electrons, which allow for the reflection and propagation of radio waves. The thermosphere is also where the auroras occur due to interactions between charged particles and the Earth's magnetic field.

The correct answer is stratosphere. The stratosphere is the layer of the atmosphere that holds the ozone layer. Ozone is a gas that is concentrated in this layer and acts as a protective shield, absorbing most of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. The stratisphere and stratasphere are not correct spellings and do not refer to a specific layer of the atmosphere.

The layer of charged particles within the thermosphere is called the ionosphere. It is a region of the Earth's atmosphere where ions and free electrons exist due to the absorption of solar radiation. The ionosphere plays a crucial role in radio wave propagation and communication as it reflects and refracts radio waves back to Earth, allowing long-distance communication. The term "ironosphere" does not exist and is likely a typographical error or a distractor in this context.

The thermosphere is the layer of the atmosphere that has the next highest temperature after the troposphere. It is located above the mesosphere and extends to the exosphere. The high temperatures in this layer are due to the absorption of solar radiation by the few gas molecules present. The thermosphere is also where the International Space Station orbits the Earth. The term "thermasphere" is not a recognized term in atmospheric science and is likely a misspelling or a term used in another context.

Nitrogen is the correct answer because it constitutes about 78% of Earth's atmosphere. It is an essential component for life and plays a crucial role in various biological and chemical processes. The symbol for nitrogen is N, which represents its atomic symbol on the periodic table.

The correct answer is troposphere. The greenhouse effect occurs in the troposphere, which is the lowest layer of the Earth's atmosphere. This is where most of the Earth's weather occurs and where greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, trap heat from the sun and warm the planet. The troposphere is crucial for sustaining life on Earth as it regulates temperature and provides the air we breathe.

The correct answer is mesosphere. The mesosphere is the layer of the atmosphere located above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere. It is characterized by very low temperatures, reaching as low as -90 degrees Celsius (-130 degrees Fahrenheit). The mesasphere is not a recognized layer of the atmosphere, so it is not the correct answer.

Meteors burn up in the mesosphere, which is the layer of the Earth's atmosphere located above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere. Despite being the coldest layer, the mesosphere is where most meteors burn up due to the friction caused by their high speed and the compression of the air molecules. The high temperatures generated by this friction cause the meteors to vaporize and disintegrate before reaching the Earth's surface.

Radio waves heading upward from Earth often bounce off the thermosphere. The thermosphere is the uppermost layer of the Earth's atmosphere, located above the mesosphere. It is characterized by high temperatures and low air density, which allows radio waves to bounce off its upper layers and be reflected back towards Earth. This phenomenon, known as ionospheric reflection, is used in various applications such as radio communication and radar systems.

The temperature of a layer of the atmosphere is determined by the way the layer interacts with solar radiation. Solar radiation is absorbed by the Earth's surface and then radiated back into the atmosphere. Different layers of the atmosphere interact with this radiation in different ways, leading to variations in temperature. For example, the troposphere, the lowest layer of the atmosphere, is heated from below by the Earth's surface, while the stratosphere, the layer above the troposphere, is heated from above by the absorption of solar radiation. Therefore, the way a layer interacts with solar radiation is the main factor that determines its temperature.

Algae activity is the correct answer because billions of years ago, early forms of algae called cyanobacteria evolved and began photosynthesis. Through photosynthesis, these algae released oxygen as a byproduct, gradually increasing the oxygen levels in the Earth's atmosphere over time. This process is known as the Great Oxygenation Event and played a crucial role in shaping the Earth's atmosphere to become oxygen-rich.

Algae changed the atmosphere of Earth by converting carbon dioxide to oxygen.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are the chemicals that damage the protective ozone layer. CFCs were commonly used in aerosol propellants, refrigerants, and solvents before their harmful effects on the ozone layer were discovered. When released into the atmosphere, CFCs rise to the stratosphere where they are broken down by ultraviolet (UV) radiation, releasing chlorine atoms. These chlorine atoms then catalytically destroy ozone molecules, leading to the thinning of the ozone layer. The depletion of the ozone layer allows more harmful UV radiation from the sun to reach the Earth's surface, which can have detrimental effects on human health and the environment.

The correct answer is D. The sun's radiation strikes it first. The thermosphere is the layer of the atmosphere that is closest to outer space and is directly exposed to the sun's radiation. This exposure to intense solar radiation causes the thermosphere to have the highest temperatures compared to the other layers of the atmosphere.

The correct answer is D. The thermosphere has the highest temperature of all the atmosphere layers because it is affected most directly by the sun's radiation. The sun's radiation heats up the thermosphere, causing the temperature to rise.

The correct answer is A. At the bottom. The atmosphere is made up of different layers, and the density of the atmosphere decreases as you move higher up. This means that the atmosphere is most dense at the bottom, closer to the Earth's surface.

An increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide leads to an increase in the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide is one of the main greenhouse gases that traps heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming. When there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, it enhances the greenhouse effect and contributes to climate change.