Earth Science Reading Lesson · Grades 4–6

Layers of the Atmosphere

A reading comprehension lesson about Earth’s atmosphere — its composition and the five layers that surround our planet. Includes printable worksheet with comprehension questions and answer key.

Reading Passage

Layers of the Atmosphere

The atmosphere is a layer of gases around Earth. It is held in place by Earth’s gravity. We usually call it air. The atmosphere is made up of about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, with small amounts of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases. The atmosphere protects us by absorbing ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun and helps regulate temperature between day and night.

The layer of the atmosphere closest to Earth’s surface is the troposphere. It extends about 7 to 10 miles above the surface. Almost all of Earth’s weather occurs in the troposphere. As altitude increases in the troposphere, the temperature gets colder.

Above the troposphere is the stratosphere, which extends from about 10 to 30 miles above Earth. The stratosphere contains the ozone layer, which absorbs and blocks harmful UV radiation from the sun. Jet aircraft often fly in the lower stratosphere because the air is stable there.

Above the stratosphere are the mesosphere, where temperatures drop dramatically and meteors burn up; the thermosphere, where the International Space Station orbits and the northern and southern lights occur; and the exosphere, the outermost and thinnest layer, which gradually fades into outer space.

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