Unit 6: Atmospheric Systems and Societies
Topic 6.1: Introduction to the Atmosphere Questions
Practice 20 exam-style questions for IB ESS Topic 6.1. Review the question stems below, then unlock the full Question Bank to access markschemes, model answers, and AI grading.
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A hiker notices it is much colder on a mountain than at sea level. Outline one reason why temperature usually decreases with altitude in the lower atmosphere.
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• Aimnova PP-practice — 6.1.3
Define albedo and identify, from the values given, which two surfaces reflect the most and the least incoming solar radiation.
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During a clear night in a desert, temperatures drop quickly after sunset. State one reason why this happens in terms of outgoing radiation.
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After a snowfall, a student notices the ground is much brighter than usual. Define the term albedo.
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• Aimnova PP-practice — 6.1.1
State the two atmospheric layers nearest to Earth's surface and identify which one contains most of the weather systems.
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• Aimnova PP-practice — 6.1.2
Define the greenhouse effect and state two greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide.
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Table 1 shows albedo values for different surfaces. Using the data, identify the surface that would absorb the most solar energy.
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A student says, “Earth’s atmosphere is like a life-support system.” Define the term atmosphere.
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Figure 1 lists greenhouse gases present in air near a busy city and near a remote ocean. Identify two greenhouse gases from the list.
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A coastal town experiences more cloudy days during the wet season. Outline one way increased cloud cover can change Earths energy budget.
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A city replaces many dark roofs with white reflective roofs. Explain how this could affect local air temperature during daytime.
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A polar coastline changes from sea ice to open water during summer. State which surface has the higher albedo.
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Table 1 shows incoming solar energy and the percentage reflected by two surfaces. Calculate the albedo difference between fresh snow and dark ocean.
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• Aimnova PP-practice — 6.1.1
Outline the composition of the lower atmosphere, naming the two most abundant gases and their approximate percentages by volume.
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A student says sunlight is short-wave and heat leaving Earth is long-wave. Define the term long-wave radiation.
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Figure 2 shows a simple energy budget for Earth. Calculate how many units of the incoming energy are absorbed by Earths surface.
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A doctor warns that high UV levels increase the risk of skin cancer. Suggest one way the atmosphere protects living organisms from harmful radiation.
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A weather forecast shows rain and thunderstorms over a city. Identify the atmospheric layer where almost all weather happens.
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A city replaces a dark asphalt schoolyard with a light-coloured surface. Suggest one way this could affect local temperature.
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Table 1 shows air temperature at different altitudes from a weather balloon. Using the data, identify the layer where temperature increases with altitude and name that layer.
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