Earth's atmosphere

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/earths-atmosphere

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the atmospheric layers?Troposphere, Stratosphere (containing the ozone layer), Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere
2. What is the ozone layer function?Absorbs harmful UV-B and UV-C radiation in the stratosphere
3. What is the Earth's atmosphere made of?The air around Earth is mostly nitrogen and oxygen, with small amounts of argon, carbon dioxide, and other trace gases.
4. Why is the ozone layer important?The ozone layer blocks harmful UV-B and UV-C rays from the Sun, protecting our skin, eyes, and the plants and animals that live on Earth.

Photosynthesis: Biological process converting light energy into chemical energy, releasing oxygen and consuming carbon dioxide.
Greenhouse Effect: Natural process where atmospheric gases trap heat, warming the planet's surface.
Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS): Chemicals, like CFCs, that degrade the stratospheric ozone layer.