THE LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE

The atmosphere is the layer of the air that surrounds Earth. It is hard to determine exactly the
thickness of the layers of the atmosphere. There is no definite boundary that separates one layer from
another. Each layer of the atmosphere has an approximate thickness and these are as follows:
troposphere – 17 km; stratosphere- 35 km; mesosphere – 30 km; thermosphere – 400 km thick; and
exosphere – extends 500 km above the surface of Earth. Air characteristics like temperature, pressure,
and relative thickness change from one layer to another.

Objective:
Illustrate the thickness of the layers of the atmosphere.

Materials:
Bow compass
Paper
Metric ruler

Procedure

1. Open a bow compass to 3 cm. At the center of a piece of paper, draw a circle. Label the circle
“Earth”.
2. Open the compass to 0.2 cm more to increase the distance between the legs to 3.2 cm. Using
the same center, draw a circle. Label the circle troposphere.
3. Open the compass to another 0.1 cm so that the distance between the legs becomes 3.3 cm.
using the same center, draw another circle. Label the circle, stratosphere.
4. Open the compass another 0.2 cm to increase the distance to 3.5 cm using the same center,
draw another circle. Label the circle ionosphere.
5. Open the compass another 4.5 cm to make the distance equal to 8 cm. Using the same center,
draw another circle. Label the circle exosphere.
6. Paste your drawing in the space provided under Observation.
 Name: Date Performed:
Groupmates: Date Submitted:
Mark/Grade:

REPORT SHEET 1

THE LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE

I. OBSERVATIONS

II. CONCLUSION