Test Your Knowledge of the Earth's Atmospheric Layers

Study Notes

Characteristics and Phenomenon of Each Layer of the Atmosphere

The troposphere is the layer closest to the Earth's surface, where temperature decreases as altitude increases.
The troposphere is the most dense layer and extends from 8 to 14 km above sea level, where weather phenomenon and clouds occur.
The stratosphere extends up to 50 km and contains the ozone layer, which absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun and causes the temperature to increase gradually.
Commercial passenger jet planes fly in the lower region of the stratosphere for a smoother ride, and the jet stream flows near the border between the stratosphere and troposphere.
The mesosphere extends up to 85 km, where the temperature decreases with height until the coldest temperature (-90°C) anywhere in the atmosphere occurs at the mesopause.
Meteors burn up in the mesosphere, and the air in this layer is too thin to breathe.
The thermosphere extends up to 600 km, where temperature rises extremely high with height due to the absorption of high-energy X-rays and UV radiation from the sun.
Satellites orbit in the thermosphere, and auroras occur in this layer.
Instead of considering temperature, satellites in the thermosphere measure the amount of solar radiation absorbed.
The ionosphere overlaps the mesosphere and thermosphere and is an abundant layer of electrons and ionized atoms and molecules.
The ionosphere has three main regions (D, E, and F layers) that vary during the course of the day and from season to season, and reflect standard AM radio waves back to Earth.
The exosphere is the upper limit of our atmosphere and extends from the top of the thermosphere up to 10,000 km, where there is no clear-cut upper boundary where it fades away into space.

Description

How well do you know the layers of the Earth's atmosphere? Test your knowledge with our quiz on the characteristics and phenomenon of each atmospheric layer. From the troposphere to the exosphere, learn about the temperature changes, weather phenomenon, and unique features of each layer. This quiz will challenge your understanding of the Earth's atmosphere and its importance to life on our planet.