5.5 The Atmosphere Quiz

Which layer of the atmosphere contains clouds and weather? (click to enlarge picture)

• Therosphere

• Mesosphere

• Stratosphere

• Troposphere

Answer explanation

The troposphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere where weather occurs and clouds form. It contains most of the atmosphere's mass and is where we experience daily weather changes.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Which gas is most abundant in the atmosphere? (click to enlarge picture)

• oxygen

• nitrogen

• water vapor

• argon

Answer explanation

Nitrogen is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere, making up about 78% of it. In contrast, oxygen comprises about 21%, while water vapor and argon are present in much smaller amounts.

Which layer of the atmosphere has the most water vapor?

• Thermosphere

• Mesosphere

• Stratosphere

• Troposphere

Answer explanation

The troposphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere and contains the majority of the Earth's water vapor, making it the layer with the most water vapor compared to the thermosphere, mesosphere, and stratosphere.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Which layer has the lowest air pressure?

• Thermosphere

• Mesosphere

• Stratosphere

• Troposphere

Answer explanation

The thermosphere is the highest layer of the atmosphere, where air pressure is extremely low due to the sparse distribution of air molecules. In contrast, the troposphere has the highest air pressure.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

What property is used to divide the layers of the atmosphere? (click to enlarge picture)

• Air pressure

• Temperature

• Type of gas

Answer explanation

The layers of the atmosphere are divided primarily by temperature. As altitude increases, temperature changes, leading to distinct layers such as the troposphere and stratosphere, making temperature the key property for this division.

What happens to the temperature at the "pause" between layers?

• it increases

• it decreases

• it stays the same

Answer explanation

At the pause between layers, known as the tropopause or stratopause, the temperature remains constant. This is because the transition between layers involves a balance of temperature changes, resulting in no net increase or decrease.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

How does temperature in the Troposphere change as the altitude increases? (click to enlarge picture)

• temperature increases

• temperature decreases

• temperature stays the same

Answer explanation

In the Troposphere, temperature decreases with altitude due to the decreasing pressure and density of air. This is why the correct answer is that temperature decreases as altitude increases.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

What remains the same in each layer?

• temperature

• air pressure

• percentage of gases

Answer explanation

The percentage of gases remains constant in each layer of the atmosphere, while temperature and air pressure vary significantly with altitude.

Without the atmosphere what would happen to the Earth?

• It would Cool

• It would Heat

• It would stay the same

Answer explanation

Without the atmosphere, Earth would lose its ability to retain heat, leading to a significant drop in temperature. Thus, it would cool down drastically, making it inhospitable for life as we know it.

Now that you know about all the layers, what layer do you think planes fly in?

• Troposphere

• Stratosphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

Answer explanation

Planes typically fly in the stratosphere, where the air is more stable and less turbulent compared to the troposphere. This layer also contains the ozone layer, which protects aircraft from harmful UV radiation.