1. The atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding the Earth!
2. We live in an ocean of air.
3. The atmosphere is about 10,000 km thick.
4. Without an atmosphere, Earth would have no weather, no protection from solar radiation or meteoroids, and no breathable air; temperatures would be extreme and life as we know it could not exist.
5. The atmosphere keeps Earth warm.
6. The atmosphere protects Earth from harmful solar radiation and meteoroids.
7. It is mainly from the outgassing of volcanoes that our atmosphere was formed.
8. The 5 layers of the atmosphere are:
- Troposphere
- Stratosphere
- Mesosphere
- Thermosphere
- Exosphere
9. The lower the atmosphere pressure, the higher you are on land or sky.
10. At Death Valley in California, the air pressure is higher, meaning there is more air over your head.
11. Your ears pop on an airplane because of changes in air pressure; as the plane ascends or descends, the pressure outside your eardrum changes faster than the pressure inside, causing discomfort until the Eustachian tube equalizes the pressure.
12. When boiling water at a high altitude, it does not take as long to boil.
13. The atmosphere weighs approximately 5.15 x 10^18 kilograms.
14. The thermosphere blocks deadly ultraviolet radiation.
15. The troposphere is responsible for the weather, rain or snow.
16. We live in the troposphere, a level of the atmosphere.
17. Mountain tops are colder than the temperature in the city because air temperature decreases with altitude; as you go higher, the air becomes less dense and holds less heat.
18. When the atmosphere keeps Earth warm, it is called the greenhouse effect.
19. The troposphere is about 8 to 15 kilometers thick (thicker at the equator, thinner at the poles).
20. The higher you go in the atmosphere, the less air there is available to breathe.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of bill nye atmosphere worksheet.
