Names:______________________________________Per:____
Layers of the Atmosphere: On A Lift _______________________________________________________
_________________________________________
Directions: COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS USING GIVEN WEB LINKS AND PAGES 267-271;
RECORD THE NAME OF ALL TEAM MEMBERS AND THEIR WORK ON POSTER PAPER.
Introduction: NASAL (The National Agency of Space Aeronautics and Lift) is planning to build an elevator
from Earth’s surface to Earth orbit. You are a member of a team of scientists. Your team has been given
an assignment to provide a description of the structure of our atmosphere. Your job will be to understand
the features of Earth’s atmosphere and to provide a clear description to your assigned superior- located at
JJPMSSL (The John J. Pershing Middle School Science Laboratories, Rooms 703 and 705).
Task: Your job is to collect data about the layers of the atmosphere. Your team of scientists will work together to
collect and analyze this information and report it back to your superior. This poster and worksheet have been
provided; use them to research and report your findings.
EXPECT TO
EXPECT TO PRESENT YOUR FINDINGS ON THIS DATE 
Process: Read this worksheet to guide you! Read all of the information on the web and in the book!
1. Go to the “THE GUIDE” on the next page.
2. Research the questions on your paper by clicking on the titles found on the webpage; they are links.
Example- Cozy Blanket Around Earth is the link for questions # 1-6
3. Record the data you discover on a Word document (to be attached to the back of your poster).
4. Design a poster that depicts your elevator, the atmosphere layers, and 3+ important facts about each
layer.
5. Choose a spokesperson for your team and help her or him prepare a presentation- for the following:
(a) At least how long should the elevator cable be, from Earth to space?
(b) What temperatures will the elevator experience? (Hint- Give a temperature range)
(c) Tell us about one important characteristic an elevator rider should be aware of as they travel through
each of the four main layers.
6. Have the spokesperson lead the presentation on the findings to your superior (aka- teacher). ANY team
member may be called on to help with the presentation.
Resources:
Pershingrocks.com
Conclusion: Record it on the back of your poster in quality paragraph form.


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What 3 facts do you know now that you did not know before this assignment?
Did everyone on the team contribute to the presentation? How so?
Did working together as a group make the research easier to accomplish?
Evaluation: (DO NOT WRITE)
Poster _____ out of 20 points and Presentation _____ out of 5 points
Total=
N. A. S. A. L.
THE GUIDE!  GO TO THE RED-COLORED LINKS AT PERSHING ROCKS:
**Use complete sentences to answer the following questions!!
Cozy Blanket Around Earth  NOTE these underlined words are links on the webpage.
1. Which four gases are most common in Earth's atmosphere? Give the percentages.
2. What are the four main layers of the atmosphere?
3. Which layer is closest to space?
4. Which layer is the hottest, up to 1,800 oC? Refer to your science book.
5. Which layer is the coldest, where temperatures approach -90oC? Refer to your science book.
6. Why do you think the atmosphere is often called a "Cozy Blanket Around Earth?"
Exosphere
7. What and where is the exosphere?
Heat Transfer
8. Click on the sun, "Radiation." Click on "Add Sunlight." List three examples of radiation.
9. Click on "Conduction." Click on "Light Burner." List four good conductors.
10. Click on "Convection." Click on "Light Stove." List four examples of convection.
Electromagnetic Radiation (click on “Launch Interactive”)
11. Name two practical uses of each of the following types of waves: radio waves, microwaves,
infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, x-rays, and gamma rays.
Greenhouse Effect
12. What is the Greenhouse Effect (describe how it works or leave space to draw it)?
Greenhouse Gases
13. What are the four main greenhouse gases?
14. Name the human activities that increase greenhouse gases. (found in the "enhance greenhouse effect"
section)
Added Features: Be sure to label correctly. Answer all questions (Use your science book or the
web).
15. Poster: Draw and label an elevator, from the earth to outer space, with kilometers (km)
labeled on right and miles (mi) labeled on the left.
Question: How many kilometers are there in one mile?
16. Poster: At 15 km draw a weather balloon (poster).
Question: Why do weather balloons often burst here?
17. Poster: Draw a meteoroid being broken apart in the proper layer of the atmosphere.
Question: What are meteoroids?
18. Poster: Draw the ozone layer.
Question: Why is the ozone layer important to living things?
19. Poster: Draw an aurora in the proper layer.
Question: What happens to radio waves at this layer of the atmosphere?
20. Draw a group of clouds that are at least 5 km tall.
Question: In what atmospheric layer(s) can clouds form?
Modified from http://www.clickandteachit.com/click.cfm?subpage=1018342 which is
Modified from original webquest: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfd23739_16fkqtvmc9
Webquest http://teachers.spart5.k12.sc.us/jamescs/web%20quest/web%20guest.htm#Process
Resources
1. http://regentsprep.org/Regents/earthsci/units/introduction/atmosphere.cfm
2. http://scs.summit.k12.oh.us/woodridge/intermediateschool/gr5/mrsmclaughlinsproject/layers.htm
3. http://www.windows.ucar.edu/earth/images/profile.jpg
4. http://www.shodor.org/metweb/session1/density_and_pressure.html
5. http://www.shodor.org/metweb/session1/layers.html