Layers
True or False:
There are no winds in layers above the troposphere.
False
Which layer of the heterosphere would you expect to find closest to the Earth?
A. Nitrogen
B. Hydrogen
C. Helium
A. Nitrogen
True or False:
The magnetosphere, Earth's protection against charged particles, can also display the Northern and Southern lights.
False
The density currents that cause air to mix are an example of ___________.
A. conduction
B. convection
C. radiation
D. reflection
B. convection
78%
Name the four true layers of the atmosphere in order from bottom to top.
BONUS: What is the fifth layer, which extends thousands of kilometers into space?
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
BONUS: exosphere
The _________ contains layers of different gases arranged by atomic weight (heterosphere / homosphere).
heterosphere
What element is ozone made of?
oxygen
Of the solar energy that reaches Earth, most of it is _____________.
A. infrared
B. ultraviolet
C. nuclear
D. microwave
A. infrared
Radio waves reflect off the ionosphere. How can technicians on the ground communicate with the International Space Station?
They use microwave signals, which are not reflected by the ionosphere.
Which layer(s) of the atmosphere contain winds?
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere
Why does Earth's atmosphere contain nitrogen?
Nitrogen is unreactive and dilutes oxygen to the proper concentration for life.
Match each layer with its purpose:
1. ozone layer A. absorbs UV rays
2. ionosphere B. traps charged particles
3. magnetosphere C. reflects radio waves
1. A 2. C 3. B
The most concentrated form of solar energy at Earth’s surface occurs when the rays
A. are filtered by clouds and water vapor
B. come from straight overhead
C. have passed through an aurora
D. strike the earth at an angle
B. come from straight overhead
How can you exercise good and wise dominion over the air you breathe?
[answers may vary :) ]
Describe how temperature changes in each layer of the atmosphere.
BONUS: Which layer is the coldest? The hottest?
troposphere: decreases with altitude
stratosphere: increases with altitude
mesosphere: decreases with altitude *coldest
thermosphere: increases with altitude *hottest
What gas was not present in the early atmosphere, according to old-earth scientists?
oxygen
Where above the Earth's surface does the Ozone hole form?
BONUS: Why that location?
Antarctica; clouds of ice crystals speed up the reaction of CFCs with ozone
Which of the following is an example of conduction?
A. rising air forming thunderheads
B. sinking cold water in the Arctic
C. the earth’s surface warming the air directly above it
D. the earth’s atmosphere being warmed by the sun
C. the earth’s surface warming the air directly above it
Describe the weather conditions that would allow Earth's surface to absorb the most solar energy.
clear skies with low humidity
Give the altitude ranges of the five layers of the atmosphere.
troposphere: 0-11 km
stratosphere: 11-50 km
mesosphere: 50-80 km
thermosphere: 80-500 km
exosphere: 500+ km
Describe the movement of carbon in each of the following processes:
1. photosynthesis
2. digestion & respiration
3. decay
4. combustion
1. photosynthesis: CO2 --> sugars
2. digestion & respiration: sugars --> CO2
3. decay: sugars --> soil & rock
4. combustion: fossil fuels --> CO2
True or False: The magnetosphere is not spherical because of the solar wind.
True
Explain how the sun warms Earth’s atmosphere by radiation, conduction, and convection.
Radiation: the sun heats the gases in the atmosphere
Conduction: earth's surface heats the atmosphere directly above it
Convection: hot air rises, cold air sinks, moving thermal energy through the atmosphere
How high did Felix Baumgartner jump?
39,529 m