Atmospheric Organization - AP Environmental Science

Greenhouse gases cause heat rays from the sun that hit Earth to be retained on the planet's surface, which raises temperatures and has a potential to change climates. Excess carbon in the atmosphere is absorbed largely by the planet's oceans, which results in acidification. Chlorofluorocarbons (or CFCs) are potent greenhouse gases that also deplete ozone. The greenhouse effect does not result in an increase in heat energy entering earth, but actually retains the heat already entering earth at a higher rate than normal.

While hot air does rise over colder air, density of air particles is more the determining factor for temperature change in the atmosphere. Heat energy is retained better at lower altitudes because there is a greater density of air particles, resulting in greater insulative properties than at higher altitudes, where air particle density is much less.

The ozone layer is contained in the stratosphere, protecting life in the trophosphere from harmful cosmic radiation.

The following mnemonic device may be useful to remember the earth’s atmospheric layers in order: The Silly Monkeys Twirled Endlessly (Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere). All of the choices are part of the earth’s atmospheric layers.

Since the aurora borealis is caused by electrons from the Sun striking against oxygen atoms in the the highest level of the atmosphere, it must occur in the thermosphere (also known as the ionosphere). The thermosphere extends up to 60 miles or even higher.

The correct response is troposphere. This is the lowest part of the atmosphere where our weather patterns and rain clouds reside.

The correct response is stratosphere. Over 90% of the ozone layer is found in the stratosphere.

The stratosphere contains the most concentrated amount of ozone in any layer of the atmosphere, and is found at the bottom towards the troposphere. The troposphere is where weather occurs and sustains life on Earth. The ionosphere contains atoms stripped of their electrons, and the exosphere is the part of the atmosphere that bleeds into space.

The troposphere contains the majority of the atmosphere's water vapor, and is thus the layer in which weather occurs.

Greenhouse gases cause heat rays from the sun that hit Earth to be retained on the planet's surface, which raises temperatures and has a potential to change climates. Excess carbon in the atmosphere is absorbed largely by the planet's oceans, which results in acidification. Chlorofluorocarbons (or CFCs) are potent greenhouse gases that also deplete ozone. The greenhouse effect does not result in an increase in heat energy entering earth, but actually retains the heat already entering earth at a higher rate than normal.

While hot air does rise over colder air, density of air particles is more the determining factor for temperature change in the atmosphere. Heat energy is retained better at lower altitudes because there is a greater density of air particles, resulting in greater insulative properties than at higher altitudes, where air particle density is much less.

The ozone layer is contained in the stratosphere, protecting life in the trophosphere from harmful cosmic radiation.

The following mnemonic device may be useful to remember the earth’s atmospheric layers in order: The Silly Monkeys Twirled Endlessly (Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere). All of the choices are part of the earth’s atmospheric layers.

Since the aurora borealis is caused by electrons from the Sun striking against oxygen atoms in the the highest level of the atmosphere, it must occur in the thermosphere (also known as the ionosphere). The thermosphere extends up to 60 miles or even higher.

The correct response is troposphere. This is the lowest part of the atmosphere where our weather patterns and rain clouds reside.

The correct response is stratosphere. Over 90% of the ozone layer is found in the stratosphere.

The stratosphere contains the most concentrated amount of ozone in any layer of the atmosphere, and is found at the bottom towards the troposphere. The troposphere is where weather occurs and sustains life on Earth. The ionosphere contains atoms stripped of their electrons, and the exosphere is the part of the atmosphere that bleeds into space.

The troposphere contains the majority of the atmosphere's water vapor, and is thus the layer in which weather occurs.

Greenhouse gases cause heat rays from the sun that hit Earth to be retained on the planet's surface, which raises temperatures and has a potential to change climates. Excess carbon in the atmosphere is absorbed largely by the planet's oceans, which results in acidification. Chlorofluorocarbons (or CFCs) are potent greenhouse gases that also deplete ozone. The greenhouse effect does not result in an increase in heat energy entering earth, but actually retains the heat already entering earth at a higher rate than normal.