Earth’s Atmosphere Simulation — ClassAdapt
A 3D interactive globe showing Earth’s five atmospheric layers (Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere) plus the Ozone Layer. Students can orbit the planet freely, hover layers for facts, and toggle solar radiation (☀), infrared emission (🌡), the greenhouse effect (🌿), and an enhanced CO₂ scenario (🔥). A live CO₂ bar tracks the shift from pre-industrial 280 ppm to today’s 420+ ppm. The 🏷 Layer Labels button turns it into a labelled diagram with arrows.
Class Activity — “Hot or Cold? Predict the Layer”
Suitable for: KS4 Physics / Combined Science · ~15 minutes · pairs or small groups
Setup: Display the simulation on the board. Turn Labels OFF and Hover Info OFF so layers are visible but unlabelled.
Task:
- Point to each coloured layer and ask pupils to predict: “Is this layer hotter or colder than the one below it? Why?”
- After predictions, turn 🏷 Layer Labels ON to reveal the answer for each layer.
- Ask: “Which layers break the pattern — and why?” (Stratosphere warms because of ozone; Thermosphere warms because of solar ionisation.)
Greenhouse extension: Turn on ☀ Solar then 🌿 Greenhouse Effect and watch the CO₂ bar. Ask: “What happens to the infrared radiation? Where does it go?” Then hit 🔥 Enhanced GHE and ask: “What is different today compared to 1800?”
Exit question: “If the ozone layer disappeared, which layer would cool down and why?”