Name Period Date L.O: SWBAT DESCRIBE THE PROPERTIES OF THE ATMOSPHERE.( 1. Scientists have inferred that Earth s original atmosphere was formed by the A) outgassing from Earth s interior B) erosion of Earth s surface C) decay of microorganisms in Earth s oceans D) radioactive decay of elements in Earth s core 2. Which event in Earth's history was dependent on the development of a certain type of life-form? A) addition of free oxygen to Earth's atmosphere B) formation of clastic sedimentary rocks C) movement of tectonic plates D) filling of the oceans by precipitation 3. Which statement most accurately describes the Earth's atmosphere? A) The atmosphere is layered, with each layer possessing distinct characteristics. B) The atmosphere is a shell of gases surrounding most of the Earth. C) The atmosphere's altitude is less than the depth of the ocean. D) The atmosphere is more dense than the hydrosphere but less dense than the lithosphere. 4. The gases in Earth's early atmosphere are inferred to have come primarily from A) meteor showers B) melting of glacial ice C) volcanic eruptions D) evaporation of seawater 5. Nearly all the water vapor in the atmosphere is found within the A) mesosphere B) thermosphere C) troposphere D) stratosphere 6. Most of the water vapor in the atmosphere is found in the A) mesosphere B) thermosphere C) troposphere D) stratosphere 7. Most of a Earth's atmosphere comes from A) the gas surrounding Earth at the time of its formation B) gas released from the interior of our planet C) gas captured as Earth passed through a gas cloud D) escaped gas from the sun 8. Scientists believe that Earth s early atmosphere changed in composition as a result of A) the appearance of oxygen-producing organisms B) the drifting of the continents C) the changes in Earth s magnetic field D) a transfer of gases from the Sun 9. Most scientists believe Earth's Early Archean atmosphere was formed primarily by gases released from A) stream erosion B) chemical weathering C) volcanic eruptions D) plant transpiration 10. The graph below shows the average concentration of ozone in Earth's atmosphere over Arizona during 4 months of the year. Which layer of Earth's atmosphere contains the greatest concentration of ozone?
11. Earth s early atmosphere formed during the Early Archean Era. Which gas was generally absent from the atmosphere at that time? A) water vapor B) carbon dioxide C) nitrogen D) oxygen 12. What is the approximate altitude of the mesopause in the atmosphere? A) 50 km B) 66 km C) 82 km D) 90 km 13. An air temperature of 95ºC most often exists in which layer of the atmosphere? 14. Which temperature zone of Earth's atmosphere contains the most water vapor? A) mesosphere B) stratosphere C) thermosphere D) troposphere 15. In which zone of the atmosphere would a temperature of 95ºC most likely occur? 16. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram below which shows part of the orbit of a satellite around the Earth. The distance from the satellite's orbit to the Earth's surface is 75 kilometers. 17. In which zone of the atmosphere would a temperature of 85ºC most likely occur? 18. What is the temperature of the atmosphere at the stratopause? A) 90ºC B) 55ºC C) 0ºC D) 15ºC 19. According to the Earth Science Reference Tables which layer of the atmosphere contains the most water vapor? 20. Which layer of the atmosphere has the greatest density? A) thermosphere B) stratosphere C) mesosphere D) troposphere 21. Ozone gas in the Earth's atmosphere helps to protect life on the Earth. This protection is due to the ability of ozone to absorb A) radio waves B) ultraviolet radiation C) gamma radiation D) visible light 22. The total amount of water vapor per cubic meter in the atmosphere at sea level is approximately A) 1 g/m 3 B) 8 g/m 3 C) 15 g/m 3 D) 30 g/m 3 23. Where are atmospheric pressure readings of 10 2 atmosphere found? A) stratosphere B) troposphere According to the Earth Science Reference Tables, in which portion of the Earth's atmosphere is the satellite located?
24. Base your answer to the following question on the passage below. Ozone in Earth's Atmosphere Ozone is a special form of oxygen. Unlike the oxygen we breathe, which is composed of two atoms of oxygen, ozone is composed of three atoms of oxygen. A concentrated ozone layer between 10 and 30 miles above Earth's surface absorbs some of the harmful ultraviolet radiation coming from the Sun. The amount of ultraviolet light reaching Earth's surface is directly related to the angle of incoming solar radiation. The greater the Sun's angle of insolation, the greater the amount of ultraviolet light that reaches Earth's surface. If the ozone layer were completely destroyed, the ultraviolet light reaching Earth's surface would most likely increase human health problems, such as skin cancer and eye damage. State the name of the temperature zone of Earth's atmosphere where the concentrated layer of ozone gas exists. 25. As altitude within the troposphere increases, the amount of water vapor generally A) decreases, only B) increases, only C) remains the same D) decreases, then increases 26. Which list shows atmospheric layers in the correct order upward from the Earth's surface? A) thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, troposphere B) troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere C) stratosphere, mesosphere, troposphere, thermosphere D) thermosphere, troposphere, mesosphere, stratosphere
27. Base your answer to the following question on the cross section below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The cross section shows the general movement of air within a portion of Earth's atmosphere located between 30 N and 30 S latitude. Numbers 1 and 2 represent different locations in the atmosphere. Which temperature zone layer of Earth's atmosphere is shown in the cross section? 28. If the base of a cloud is located at an altitude of 2 kilometers and the top of the cloud is located at an altitude of 8 kilometers, this cloud is located in the A) troposphere, only B) stratosphere, only C) troposphere and stratosphere D) stratosphere and mesosphere 29. The altitude of the ozone layer near the South Pole is 20 kilometers above sea level. Which temperature zone of the atmosphere contains this ozone layer? 30. Base your answer to the following question on the Earth Science Reference Tables and the diagram below. The diagram shows air movements associated with cumulus cloud formation over a lake during a summer day. A, B, C, and D are reference points. Point D is 10 kilometers above the Earth's surface. In which layer of the atmosphere is point D located? A) upper troposphere B) lower stratosphere C) upper stratosphere D) lower mesosphere 31. What is the approximate thickness of the troposphere? A) 7 km B) 12 km C) 27 km D) 50 km
32. The most abundant gas in the troposphere is A) nitrogen B) oxygen C) carbon dioxide D) water vapor 33. In which two temperature zones of the atmosphere does the temperature increase with increasing altitude? A) troposphere and stratosphere B) troposphere and mesosphere C) stratosphere and thermosphere D) mesosphere and thermosphere 34. The diagram below shows spheres associated with Earth. 37. In which atmospheric layer is most water vapor found? C) thermosphere D) mesosphere Which spheres are zones of Earth's atmosphere? A) lithosphere, hydrosphere, and troposphere B) stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere C) asthenosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere D) hydrosphere, troposphere, and stratosphere 35. The greatest atmospheric pressure occurs in the 36. Which element has the highest percentage by volume in the troposphere? A) oxygen B) nitrogen C) hydrogen D) carbon dioxide
38. Which pie graph correctly shows the percentage of elements by volume in Earth's troposphere? A) B) C) D) 39. The ozone layer helps life on Earth because ozone A) modifies the normal El Niño weather pattern B) reflects insolation from the Sun C) absorbs damaging ultraviolet radiation from the Sun D) deflects winds from a straight line to a curved path 40. As the altitude increases within Earth s stratosphere, air temperature generally A) decreases, only B) increases, only C) decreases, then increases D) increases, then decreases 41. The temperature in the stratosphere ranges from approximately A) 55ºF to 0ºF B) 55ºC to 0ºC C) 10ºF to 35ºF D) 10ºC to 50ºC