Layers of the Atmosphere
6-4.1 Compare the composition and structure of Earth’s atmospheric layers (including the gases and
differences in temperature and pressure within the layers).
Essential question: How do the layers of Earth’s atmosphere compare to each other? -Create
a comparison chart.
Layer
Prefix meaning Temperature
Density
Characteristics
Answer these questions by using your chart.
1. In which layer do we live?
2. In which layer does all weather occur?
3. In which layer do clouds occur?
4. In which layer would you find the ozone?
5. Which layer is closest to the surface of the Earth?
6. Which layer is the hottest even though you would not feel it if you went there?
7. What is the highest layer in which jets can fly?
8. In which layer do you find the ozone layer?
9. Which layer starts out cold and then gets hotter because of the ozone layer?
10. In which layer do meteors (shooting stars) typically burn up?
11. Which layer is the coldest?
12. Which layer is furthest from the surface of the Earth?
13. In which layer would you find the Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights)?
14. Which layer is the densest (has the highest air pressure)?
15. Which layer is the least dense (has the lowest air pressure)?
16. What happens to the density of the atmosphere as you increase in altitude?
17. In which layer do satellites and the International Space Station (ISS) orbit the Earth?
18. What happens to the temperatures as you increase in altitude? Hint: This can be answered in 5 simple
sentences since there are 5 layers.
19. What does “tropo” mean?
20. What does “strato” mean?
21. What does “meso” mean?
22. What does “thermo” mean?
23. What does “exo” mean?
24. Create a saying using the first letter of each layer to help you remember the layers of the atmosphere from the
Earth up, such as “Try sending me to the exosphere!”