Fun Facts About The Earth’s Atmosphere Kids Activities Blog

Today we are learning interesting facts about the earth’s atmosphere! Are you curious about the atmosphere? These printables are a great way to strengthen your students’ knowledge about the earth’s surface, air pressure, different layers on planet earth, and more.

Our free worksheets include 2 pages filled with information and pictures to color. They are suitable for kids in elementary school and older grades interested in outer space.

How much do we know about our home planet? Did you know that planet Earth is not the only planet with northern lights in the solar system? And that the third planet from the sun, along with the other four terrestrial planets, have atmospheres similar to the mixture of gases found on the Sun and Jupiter? There’s so much to learn, so let’s get started!

10 Earth facts about the atmosphere

1. The atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding our planet. The atmosphere is 78 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen, the rest is argon, carbon dioxide, helium, neon, and other gases.
2. There’s enough water in the atmosphere to soak the whole planet in an inch of rain.
3. The atmosphere is important for the survival of living things on earth as it protects us from harmful ultraviolet rays, contains an ozone layer, regulates climate change and overall earth’s temperature, etc.
4. It has five major and several secondary layers. From lowest to highest, the major layers are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.
5. The lowest layer, the troposphere, begins at the surface of the earth and is where all the weather occurs. The height of the top of the troposphere varies
6. The second layer of the atmosphere, the stratosphere, is 21 miles thick, with cold air found at the bottom and hot air found at the top. 

7. The third layer, the mesosphere, has the coldest temperatures: the top of the mesosphere has temperatures as low as -148 F.
8. The temperature in the next layer, the thermosphere, can reach up to 4,500 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. The higher atmosphere layer, the exosphere, extends from about 375 miles to 6,200 miles above the earth. Here, atoms and molecules escape into space, and satellites orbit the earth.
10. The sky should be violet, but the reason we see blue instead of purple is that the human eye is more sensitive to blue light than violet.
11. The earth is called “shiny blue marble” because, from space, it looks like one!

Bonus FUn facts about the earth’s atmosphere for Kids:

• Contained within the Earth’s thermosphere, the magnetosphere is the region where the Earth’s magnetic field interacts with the charged particles coming from the Sun in the solar wind.
• Noctilucent clouds, or night-shining clouds, are beautiful tenuous cloud-like phenomena in the upper atmosphere of Earth.
• Earth has three layers: the crust, the mantle, and the core, all before the atmosphere layers begin. The earth’s crust is the outermost shell.
• Greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide and methane, heat up one atmospheric layer called the troposphere and causes the greenhouse effect.
• The greenhouse effect is a good thing because it warms the planet to keep life on earth alive.

This article contains affiliate links.

SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE FACTS COLORING SHEETS

These fun facts about the Earth’s atmosphere coloring pages are sized for standard letter printer paper dimensions – 8.5 x 11 inches.

DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE Earth’s atmosphere FACTS PDF FILE

Facts About The Earth’s Atmosphere Coloring Pages

MORE FUN FACTS COLORING PAGES FROM KIDS ACTIVITIES BLOG

What was your favorite fact about the Earth’s Atmosphere?