Name: ___________________________________________________ Block: ___________ WKST #
Selected Properties of Earth’s Atmosphere Practice
Directions: Using the directions below and your Earth Science Reference Tables (page 14)
Selected Properties of Earth’s Atmosphere, color, highlight and answer the questions. Wherever
you see
a box like this, that means you have a task to do in your ESRT. Check the box when
you are done.
1. Turn to page 14 in the Earth Science Reference Tables and look at the chart labeled
“Selected Properties of Earth’s Atmosphere”
2. Find the portion of the chart labeled “Temperature Zones” and highlight those words.
Notice that the atmosphere is divided into four layers based on composition and
temperature zones, and that their names end with “sphere”.
3. Using the highlighter, trace over the three dashed lines that divide the layers (go through
the names on the lines as well). These are the boundaries (interfaces) between the layersnotice that these boundary names end with “pause”.
4. List the three boundary names listed on the lines, beginning with the one closest to
Earth’s surface. These words end with “pause”.
a. ________________________________ (closest to Earth’s surface)
b. ________________________________
c. ________________________________(farthest from Earth’s surface)
5. List the four layers that are labeled on the diagram. These words end with “sphere”.
a. ________________________________
b. ________________________________
c. ________________________________
d. ________________________________
i. Lightly shade each layer of the atmosphere using the following color scheme:
1. Troposphere = light blue
2. Stratosphere= orange
3. Mesosphere= green
4. Thermosphere= yellow
6. The left of the diagram is the altitude scale to be used with all three (3) sections
(Temperature Zones, Atmospheric Pressure and Water Vapor) of this chart.
a. What is it called when the altitude is 0 (zero)? ________________________________
b. What the two scales used for altitude? _____________________, ____________________
c. Each scale is divided by small lines.
i. How many kilometers does each line represent? ____________km
ii. How many miles does each line represent? ______________ miles
iii. Complete the chart below by writing down the altitude in kilometers and
miles next to each boundary.
Hint: look at your highlighted dashed lines.
Boundary Name
Kilometers (km)
Miles (mi)
Tropopause
Stratopause
Mesopause
iv. How far does the thermosphere extend? ___________ km
7. Go to the bottom of the chart and highlight the word “Temperature (0C)”
a. What is the coldest temperature listed on the scale at the bottom of the chart?
___________ 0C
b. What is the hottest temperature listed on the scale at the bottom of the chart?
___________ 0C
c. What is the temperature at sea level? ___________0C
d. What is the temperature at the top of the troposphere (tropopause)? ____________0C
e. Does the temperature [increase or decrease] as altitude increases in the
troposphere? (circle one)
f. What is the temperature at the bottom of the stratosphere? _____________0C
g. What is the temperature at the top of the stratosphere (stratopause)? ___________0C
h. Does the temperature [increase or decrease] as altitude increases in the
stratosphere? (circle one)
i. What is the temperature at the bottom of the Mesosphere? _____________0C
j. What is the temperature at the top of the Mesosphere (mesopause)? ___________0C
k. Does the temperature [increase or decrease] as altitude increases in the
mesosphere? (circle one)
l. What is the temperature at the bottom of the Thermosphere? _____________0C
m. Does the temperature [increase or decrease] as altitude increases in the
Thermosphere? (circle one)
8. Take out a blue and red colored pencil. Looking at the graph of temperature within each
layer of the atmosphere, if the temperature increases in that layer, trace over the line in
red. If the temperature decreases in that layer, trace over the line in blue.
9. Go to the top of the chart, locate and highlight the label “Atmospheric Pressure”. The
scale is located at the bottom of the chart.
10. Go to the bottom of the chart and highlight the word “Pressure (atm)”.
a. What is the unit used for pressure? ______________
b. What is the pressure at sea level? _______________
c. Does pressure [increase or decrease] as altitude increases in the atmosphere?
(circle one)
11. Go to right side of the chart, locate and highlight the label “Water Vapor”. The scale is
located at the bottom of the chart.
12. Go to the bottom of the chart and highlight the word “Concentration (g/cm3)”.
a. What is the unit used for water vapor? ______________
b. What layer of the atmosphere contains almost all the water vapor?
___________________
Check Point:
1. Name the layer, closest to Earth’s Surface, where the temperature increases as you
increase altitude. _______________________
2. At what boundary (pause) is the coldest temperature found? ________________________
3. In which two layers of the atmosphere can the temperature be 150C?
_______________________________, ______________________________