1.
Name two facts about the troposphere.
2.
Name 1 fact about the other layers: Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere
3.
What is the atmospheric layer closest to the ground?
Correct Answer
B. TropospHere
Explanation
The troposphere is the atmospheric layer closest to the ground. It is the layer where weather occurs and where most of Earth's air mass is located. This layer extends from the Earth's surface up to about 10-15 kilometers in altitude. It is characterized by a decrease in temperature as altitude increases. The other options, mesosphere, thermosphere, and stratosphere, are higher layers of the atmosphere located above the troposphere.
4.
What is the second atmospheric layer from the ground?
Correct Answer
B. StratospHere
Explanation
The second atmospheric layer from the ground is the stratosphere. This layer is located above the troposphere and extends from about 10 to 50 kilometers above the Earth's surface. In the stratosphere, the temperature increases with altitude due to the presence of ozone, which absorbs and scatters the Sun's ultraviolet radiation. This layer is important for protecting life on Earth by blocking most of the harmful UV rays.
5.
What is the third atmospheric layer from the ground?
Correct Answer
D. MesospHere
Explanation
The mesosphere is the third atmospheric layer from the ground. It is located above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere. This layer extends from about 50 to 85 kilometers above the Earth's surface. The mesosphere is characterized by a decrease in temperature with increasing altitude, reaching extremely cold temperatures. It is also the layer where meteors burn up upon entering the Earth's atmosphere.
6.
What is the fourth atmospheric layer from the ground?
Correct Answer
A. ThermospHere
Explanation
The thermosphere is the fourth atmospheric layer from the ground. It is located above the mesosphere and below the exosphere. The thermosphere is characterized by high temperatures and low air density. It is also the layer where the International Space Station orbits the Earth.
7.
What layer of the atmosphere has the aurora borealis in it?
Correct Answer
D. ThermospHere
Explanation
The aurora borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, occurs in the thermosphere. This is the layer of the atmosphere located above the mesosphere and extends from about 80 kilometers above the Earth's surface to the exosphere. The thermosphere is characterized by high temperatures and low density of air molecules. The aurora borealis is caused by the interaction between charged particles from the sun and the Earth's magnetic field, which takes place in the thermosphere.
8.
What layer has the ozone layer in it?
Correct Answer
D. StratospHere
Explanation
The ozone layer is located in the stratosphere. The stratosphere is the second layer of the Earth's atmosphere, above the troposphere. It is characterized by the presence of a high concentration of ozone molecules, which absorb and block a significant portion of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation. This layer plays a crucial role in protecting life on Earth by preventing harmful UV rays from reaching the surface.
9.
What does the ozone layer do?
Correct Answer
C. It protects us from ultra violet radiation
Explanation
The ozone layer acts as a shield against harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. UV radiation can cause various health issues such as skin cancer, cataracts, and weakened immune system. The ozone layer absorbs and filters out a significant amount of UV radiation, preventing it from reaching the Earth's surface. This protection is crucial for the well-being and safety of living organisms, including humans.
10.
What layer protects us by burning up most meteors?
Correct Answer
B. MesospHere
Explanation
The mesosphere is the layer of the Earth's atmosphere that protects us by burning up most meteors. This is because the mesosphere is the coldest layer of the atmosphere, with temperatures dropping as low as -90 degrees Celsius. When meteors enter the Earth's atmosphere, they experience immense heat due to the friction caused by their high speed. In the mesosphere, the meteors heat up and burn up before they can reach the Earth's surface, protecting us from potential impacts.
11.
What layer does most weather occur in?
Correct Answer
A. TropospHere
Explanation
The troposphere is the layer of the Earth's atmosphere closest to the surface and is where most weather occurs. This layer extends from the Earth's surface up to about 8-15 kilometers in altitude. It is where temperature decreases with increasing altitude, and it is also where clouds, precipitation, and other weather phenomena take place. The other layers mentioned - stratosphere, thermosphere, and mesosphere - are located above the troposphere and do not experience the same level of weather activity.
12.
What is the coldest layer in the atmosphere?
Correct Answer
D. MesospHere
Explanation
The mesosphere is the coldest layer in the atmosphere. It is located above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere. Temperatures in the mesosphere can reach as low as -90 degrees Celsius (-130 degrees Fahrenheit). This layer is characterized by a decrease in temperature with increasing altitude due to the absence of ozone and the low density of molecules. It is also the layer where meteors burn up upon entering the Earth's atmosphere.
13.
What is the hottest layer in the atmosphere?
Correct Answer
B. ThermospHere
Explanation
The thermosphere is the hottest layer in the atmosphere. It is located above the mesosphere and extends from about 80 km to 600 km above the Earth's surface. The high temperatures in this layer are primarily due to the absorption of intense solar radiation. Despite the high temperatures, the thermosphere would not feel hot to humans because the air density is extremely low, and there are very few gas molecules to transfer heat.
14.
What is the most common gas in the atmosphere?
Correct Answer
C. Nitrogen
Explanation
Nitrogen is the most common gas in the atmosphere. It makes up about 78% of the Earth's atmosphere. Oxygen is also present in the atmosphere, but in a lower concentration of about 21%. Carbon dioxide and methane are greenhouse gases that are present in much smaller amounts compared to nitrogen and oxygen.
15.
What gas makes up around 21% of our atmosphere?
Correct Answer
B. Oxygen
Explanation
Oxygen makes up around 21% of our atmosphere. It is essential for the survival of most living organisms, including humans. Oxygen is produced by plants through photosynthesis and is also released into the atmosphere by certain other processes. It is necessary for respiration and combustion, and plays a vital role in maintaining the balance of gases in the atmosphere.
16.
What is an atmosphere?
Correct Answer
B. A layer of gas surrounding a planet or moon.
Explanation
An atmosphere refers to a layer of gas that surrounds a planet or moon. It is composed of various gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and trace amounts of other gases. The atmosphere plays a crucial role in protecting the planet or moon from harmful radiation, regulating temperature, and providing the necessary gases for life forms to breathe and survive. It also contributes to weather patterns and other atmospheric phenomena.
17.
What happens to temperature as you go higher in the troposphere?
Correct Answer
B. It gets colder
Explanation
As you go higher in the troposphere, the temperature decreases. This is because the troposphere is the lowest layer of the Earth's atmosphere and is closest to the surface. The air in the troposphere is heated by the Earth's surface, so as you move away from the surface, there is less heat to warm the air, resulting in a decrease in temperature. This temperature change is known as the lapse rate, and it is a key characteristic of the troposphere.
18.
What happens to temperature as you go higher in the stratosphere?
Correct Answer
B. It gets hotter
Explanation
As you go higher in the stratosphere, the temperature increases. This is because the stratosphere contains a layer called the ozone layer, which absorbs and scatters a significant amount of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation. This absorption leads to a warming effect, causing the temperature to rise with altitude.
19.
What makes up less than 1% of the atmosphere
Correct Answer
D. Water vapor and other gases
Explanation
Water vapor and other gases make up less than 1% of the atmosphere. This is because the majority of the atmosphere is composed of nitrogen (about 78%) and oxygen (about 21%). Carbon dioxide, although an important greenhouse gas, only makes up a very small fraction of the atmosphere (about 0.04%). The remaining less than 1% includes trace amounts of other gases such as argon, helium, methane, and ozone, as well as water vapor.
20.
What is the aurora borealis most commonly called
Correct Answer
A. The northern lights
Explanation
The aurora borealis is most commonly called the northern lights. This natural phenomenon occurs in the Earth's polar regions when charged particles from the sun collide with atoms in the Earth's atmosphere. These collisions emit colorful lights that are visible in the night sky, predominantly in the northern hemisphere. The term "northern lights" is widely used to describe this beautiful light display.
21.
What atmospheric layer has most of the clouds?
Correct Answer
C. TropospHere
Explanation
The troposphere is the atmospheric layer closest to the Earth's surface, extending up to about 8-15 kilometers. This layer contains most of the Earth's weather systems and is where clouds form. It is characterized by a decrease in temperature with increasing altitude. The other layers mentioned, such as the stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere, are located higher up in the atmosphere and have different characteristics and functions.
22.
What layer do weather balloons reach before they burst?
Correct Answer
C. StratospHere
Explanation
Weather balloons reach the stratosphere before they burst. The stratosphere is the second layer of the Earth's atmosphere, located above the troposphere. It extends from about 10 to 50 kilometers above the Earth's surface. Weather balloons are designed to ascend through the troposphere and into the stratosphere to collect data such as temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure. The stratosphere is an important layer for weather observation and study, as it contains the ozone layer and plays a crucial role in regulating the Earth's climate.
23.
At what layer do most airplanes fly at the top of?
Correct Answer
A. Lower stratospHere
Explanation
Most airplanes fly at the top of the lower stratosphere. The lower stratosphere is the layer of the Earth's atmosphere located above the troposphere, which is the layer closest to the surface. The lower stratosphere extends from about 10 kilometers to 50 kilometers above the Earth's surface. This is the layer where the ozone layer is located, which helps to absorb and block harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. Flying at this altitude allows airplanes to avoid weather disturbances and turbulence commonly found in the lower layers of the atmosphere.