In the troposphere, the lowest

Answer choices

1. A

   Out of Scope2% picked this

   The troposphere over the poles is thicker than the troposphere over

   Out of Scope: thickness Opposite, if anything We don't ever discuss the thickness of the troposphere, but if we were to guess, we'd guess the opposite of this. After all, ground temperatures near the Equator are probably usually around 25° C. But by the top of the troposphere above the Equator, they're -85°C. So going from ground level to the top of the troposphere is a 110° decrease at the equator. Meanwhile, ground temps near the poles are closer to 0° C. By the top of the troposphere, they're -55° C. So going from ground to top of troposphere is a 55° decrease at the poles. Since the temperature decreased by twice as many degrees going from ground to top of troposphere at the equator, we'd guess that the troposphere was thicker over the equator.

   2%
2. B

   Unknown Comparison18% picked this

   It is warmer at the top of the stratosphere over the poles than it is at the top of

   This paragraph didn't give us any way to compare different parts of the Earth to each other, at a given layer of the atmosphere, other than at the top of the troposphere. There, we know how the poles compare to the equator. But we don't know how they compare at the top of the troposphere. At the bottom of the stratosphere, the equator is -85 and the poles are -55, but we don't know how much each of those temperatures will increase by the time we get to the top of the stratosphere.

   18%
3. C

   Unknown Comparison9% picked this

   The temperature in the middle part of the stratosphere over the North Pole is at least as great as the temperature in the middle

   This paragraph didn't give us any way to compare different parts of the Earth to each other, at a given layer of the atmosphere, other than at the top of the troposphere. There, we know how the poles compare to the equator. But we don't know how they compare at the middle of the stratosphere. At the bottom of the stratosphere, the equator is -85 and the poles are -55, but we don't know how much each of those temperatures will increase by the time we get to the middle of the stratosphere. We know both temps are increasing, but we don't know that they're increasing at the same rate. It could be that the stratosphere over the Equator warms up at a faster rate as you go straight up than it does over the poles. (especially given that ozone being hit by sunlight is what warms the stratosphere, and there's more direct sunlight at the equator than at the poles)

   9%
4. D

   Correct67% picked this

   The temperature at any point at the top of the stratosphere is at least as great as the temperature at the top of

   Why this is right

   This is just testing the mathematical comparison we got from the 2nd and 3rd sentences. Let's suppose we're at the equator with a ground temp of 27°C. temp decreasing Bottom ----> Top Troposphere Troposphere 27°C -85°C temp increasing Bottom ----> Top Stratosphere Stratosphere -85°C higher than -85° The top of the troposphere = the bottom of stratosphere. And "as one progresses straight upward through the stratosphere", the temperature increases.

   Skill tested: Must be True · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   67%
5. E

   Opposite / Unsupported4% picked this

   Depletion of the earth’s ozone layer would increase the air temperature in the stratosphere and decrease the air

   We don't have any reason to think that a change in ozone would affect the troposphere at all. Since ozone warms the stratosphere, if we were to lose ozone then we would lose warmth in the stratosphere, so it would decrease the air temperature in the stratosphere.

   4%