Composition of the Atmosphere

Composition of the Atmosphere

Earth's main gases and their functions

How does Earth’s atmosphere make life sustainable?

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What would happen if we have too many greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?

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Describe the effects if there is too much HEAT in the atmosphere?

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Essential Questions​​

1.What is the atmosphere?
2. Are there different layers to the atmosphere? 
3. If so, do you think they differ from each other? 

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Bell work

​What are the main gases present in our atmosphere?

Multiple Choice

Our _________ is the layer of gases that surrounds our planet.

• Planet

• Atmosphere

• Shield

• Air

Multiple Choice

78% of the Earth's atmosphere is ___________ and 21% of the Earth's atmosphere is _____________.

• Oxygen, Nitrogen

• Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide

• Nitrogen, Oxygen

• Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide

Multiple Choice

Carbon Dioxide's main function is:

• used in soil to grow plants, trees, and flowers.

• needed for human and animal respiration

• traps heat onto Earth to make it livable

Multiple Choice

Nitrogen's main function is:

• used in soil to grow plants, trees, and flowers.

• needed for human and animal respiration

• traps heat onto Earth to make it livable

Layers of the atmosphere

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1. Troposphere

2. Stratosphere

3. Mesosphere

4. Thermosphere

5. Exosphere​

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​Sphere = ball​

Tropo = turning or change​

Strato = layer​

Meso = middle​

Thermo = heat​

Exo = outside or exit​

Please label your foldable from top to bottom:​

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Exosphere​

​Thermosphere​

​Mesosphere​

​Stratosphere​

​Troposphere​

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Top tab: Layers of the Atmosphere

Make sure to draw the earth entirely for this tab represents the solid Earth.​

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You may color and work on details later.​

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Surface of the Earth

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1. Lowest layer of the atmosphere, closest to Earth​

2. Most dense​

3. Contains almost all of the CO2, water vapor, clouds, air pollution, weather and life forms

Troposhere

1. Layer above the troposphere​

2. Gases are layered and do not mix very much​

3. Air is very thin and contains little moisture​

4. Cold temperatures in the lower stratosphere​

5. Temperatures increases as altitude increases​

6. Contains the ozone layer

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Stratosphere

1. Middle Layer​

2. Coldest Layer​

3. Temperatures decrease as altitude increases​

4. Protects us from meteors

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Mesosphere

1. Upper layer​

2. Temperatures increase as altitude increases​

3. Less dense​

4. Particles do not often collide and do not transfer much energy​

5. Includes the Ionosphere

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Thermosphere

Grows and shrinks depending on the energy it absorbs from the Sun.

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The name ionosphere comes from the fact that gases in these layers are excited by solar radiation to form ions, which have an electrical charge.

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Auroras, Northern Lights occur in the ionosphere.

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Ionosphere

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1. Very thin layer​

2. Layer where atoms and molecules “escape or exit” into space. ​

3. Satellites orbit around the Earth in this layer.​

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Exosphere

Multiple Choice

 

Which layer of the atmosphere do we live in?

• Troposphere

• Thermosphere

• Mesosphere

• Stratosphere

Multiple Choice

Which atmosphere layer contains the Aurora Borealis?

• Mesosphere

• Stratosphere

• Thermosphere

• Exosphere

Multiple Choice

Which atmosphere layer protects living things from the Sun's UV radiation?

• Mesosphere

• Stratosphere

• Thermosphere

• Troposphere

Multiple Choice

Which atmosphere layer blends in with outer space?

• Stratosphere

• Exosphere

• Mesosphere

• Troposphere

Multiple Choice

In which atmosphere layer does weather occur?

• Stratosphere

• Thermosphere

• Troposphere

• Mesosphere

Multiple Choice

Which atmosphere layer protects the Earth's surface from meteors?

• Troposphere

• Exosphere

• Thermosphere

• Mesosphere

Multiple Choice

Which atmosphere layer contains the Ozone Layer?

• Thermosphere

• Exosphere

• Stratosphere

• Troposphere