Where did Earth's atmosphere come from?
How did oxygen come to make up 21 percent of earth's atmosphere?
Answer .
When life first came about 3.5 billion years ago, there most likely was no oxygen in the atmosphere. This fact is indicated by iron in rocks formed during that time: in an oxygen environment, Fe2+ oxygenates to Fe3+, or rust. During that time, there was no evidence for rust. .
Plants ev…olved out of a "primordial soup", a mixture of elements and some form of energy like light, geothermal heat, etc. Experiments have shown that, given the chemicals that we know to have been around during that time (CO2, H2O, NH3, H2, etc.), the basic units for life were produced. This includes amino acids, carbohydrates, fatty acids, and nucleobases. .
The first plants formed from this primordial soup are thought to be the ancestors of green and purple algae. With the evolution of plants, CO2 fixation began and O2 evolution occurred. Thus, over several billion years, oxygen began to build up as plants grew in number and diversified. .
Currently, nitrogen takes up about 78% of the air we breath, oxygen takes up 21%, and a variety of other chemicals like water and CO2 represent the remaining 1%. Our bodies don't need 100% oxygen; in fact, oxygen can be toxic in large doses. . ( Full Answer )
How did oxygen come to make up 21 percent of earth's present atmosphere?
The first plants are thought to be the ancestors of green andpurple algae. Over several billion years, oxygen began to build upas plants grew in number and diversified.
What are earth's atmospheres?
1. Troposphere (8-18km above Earth's surface).
2.Stratosphere (50km above Earth's Surface).
3. Mesosphere (50-85km).
4.Thermosphere (85-450km).
5.Exosphere (450-10,000km)
What is the Earth's Atmosphere?
The Earth's atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding the planetEarth and retained by the Earth's gravity. It contains roughly (bymolar content/volume) 78.08% nitogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon,0.038% carbon dioxide, trace amounts of other gases, and a variableamount (average around 1%) of water v…apor. This mixture of gases iscommonly known as air. The atmosphere protects life on Earth byabsorbing ultraviolet solar radiation and reducing temperatureextremes between day and night. Answer2:Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field are marvels of designthat ate still not fully understood. The same could be said of thecycles that sustain life on this planet. Jehovah God's creativepower is evident in every facet of the earth's design. Consider theearth's atmosphere, which serves as a protective shield. The sunemits healthful rays and deadly ones. When the lethal rays strikethe earth's upper atmosphere, they cause ordinary oxygen to turninto ozone. The resulting ozone layer, in turn, absorbs most ofthose rays. In effect, our planet is designed with it's ownprotective umbrella. That is just one aspect of our atmosphere. acomplex mix of gases ideally suited to supporting the creaturesliving on or near the earth's surface. (see Jehovah's Witnessesofficial website "Creative Power-The Maker of Heaven and Earth) ( Full Answer )
How is Earth's atmosphere different from the atmosphere on Mars?
Earth's atmosphere is almost 200 times thicker than the atmosphere of Mars. The atmosphere of Earth is primarily nitrogen and oxygen, while the Martian atmosphere is primarily carbon dioxide.
When did the earth's atmosphere start to form?
Depends on what you want to define as "atmosphere". The first signs of a type of atmosphere occurred approximately 10 million years when the Earth started to form a cloud of gaseous silica. When the Earth was about 40% its present radius, gravitational attraction would have been sufficient to …retain an atmosphere which would included water. ( Full Answer )
Which layer of the Earth's atmosphere is the thickest?
The thickest layer is closest to Earth's surface, and known as thetroposphere. This is where weather occurs. There are five layers ofEarth's atmosphere, and each layer thins out until it merges withspace.
What is the volume of Earth's atmosphere?
The "effective volume" of the Earth's atmosphere is about 4.2 billion cubic kilometers. This figure is the surface area of the Earth (509 million square kilometers) times the "effective thickness" of the atmosphere (8.2 kilometers, or about 27,000 ft). The effective thickness and volume are what the… thickness and volume of the atmosphere would be if the entire atmosphere were at sea level conditions. The actual volume of the atmosphere is considerably greater than its effective volume, as its pressure and density drop with increasing altitude. If we adopt the "Karman Limit" of 100 km elevation as the boundary between earth and space, the volume of the atmosphere would be 100 times 509 million or about 51 billion cubic kilometers. However, the Karman Limit is a non-physical and rather arbitrary boundary. ( Full Answer )
How did the earth's atmosphere form?
The atmosphere is an envelope of different gases that surrounds the earth used by life as a reservoir of chemical compounds used in living systems. The atmosphere has no outer boundary just fades into space. The Atmosphere has about the same thickness as continental crust.
Why is the earth's atmosphere important?
The atmosphere of the earth holds the air we breath and protects us from the harmful effects of the sun. The atmosphere also holds heat so we don't freeze to death
Composition of the Earth's atmosphere?
~75% nitrogen. ~25% oxygen. + tiny fraction of other stuff ====== .
Nitrogen . . . 78.1% .
Oxygen . . . 20.9% .
Argon . . . 0.93% .
Carbon dioxide . . . 0.04% .
Neon . . . 0.002% .
Helium . . . 0.001% Less than 0.001% : .
Methane .
Krypton .
Hydrogen Less than 0.0001% .
Nit…rous oxide .
Carbon monoxide Less than 0.00001% .
Xenon .
Ozone .
Nitrogen dioxide .
Iodine .
Ammonia Water vapor . . . .
about 0.4% in the whole atmosphere .
typically 1% to 4% at the surface ( Full Answer )
Approximately how thick is the earth's atmosphere?
According to NASA, the Earth's atmosphere is approximately 60 milesthick. The majority of the thick atmosphere is close to the Earth,though, within 10 miles of the Earth.
What is the Earth's atmosphere like?
The Earth's atmosphere is a layer of gases that surrounds theEarth. It is composed of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% argon,0.03% carbon dioxide, and trace amounts of other gases. This thingaseous layer insulates the Earth from extreme temperatures, keepsheat inside the atmosphere and also shields th…e Earth from much ofthe Sun's ultraviolet radiation. The Earth's atmosphere is about 300 miles (480 km) thick, but mostof the atmosphere (about 80%) is within 10 miles (16 km) of thesurface of the Earth. There is no exact place where the atmosphereends; it just gets thinner and thinner, until it merges with outerspace. ( Full Answer )
What benefits are provided by the earth's atmosphere?
i am a student in gombe state university in nigeria and need answer to the question: what benefits are provided by the earth's atmosphere?.
it gives us atmosperic pressure,the ozone layer sheilds us from uv rays,the lonosphere layer allows us to bounce radiowaves off it thus giving us radio,it prev…ents water from vaporising and beeing lost by allowing clouds to form it prevents most metors from lending (it burns them up) also it helps the regulation of the earths teperature ( Full Answer )
What are the main components of earth's atmosphere?
The atmosphere of Earth is mostly made of nitrogen, 78%, andoxygen, 21%. The remaining 1% is made of water vapour, carbondioxide, and other gaseous molecules. A+ Answer: Clouds
Carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere comes mostly from?
Like Venus and Mars, most of our CO2 was probably there from the beginning, and has been pulled out and sequestered in limestone, chalk, coal and oil deposits over hundreds of millions of years. For the past few million years, CO2 cycles from a low in the summer (when it is absorbed by growing pl…ants, grass and leaves) to a high in the winter, as those organisms die and release their stored up carbon. This cycle continues, though it has gradually increased due to human fossil fuel consumption. MOST of the additional CO2 in our atmosphere over the past century has come from the the burning of coal and oil. ( Full Answer )
Where did Earth's early atmosphere come from?
It came from very simple organisms that produced oxygen. These organisms came to this planet from outer space by asteroids.
What is the argon percentage in Earth's atmosphere?
The percentage of Argon in the atmosphere is 0.93% in volume. (0.934 to be more accurate-pip) The atmosphere is 0.934% argon by volume, so, a lot of argon. The earth's atmosphere has a volume of about 3x10 24 m 3 , which means that there are about 2.8x10 22 m 3 (5x10 12 mi 3 ) of argon in the …atmosphere. The density of argon is about 1.77 kg/m 3 so there are about 1.58 kg of argon in the atmosphere. ( Full Answer )
What does the earth's atmosphere do?
The earth's atmosphere saves us humans from dieing from the suns deadly rays. It is like a shield that saves the knight from a knife. Or putting a blanket over the earth's atmosphere. The Earth's atmosphere also creates rain. In the summer on a hot, sunny day, water evaporates, and when the steam… hits the atmosphere, the steam condensates into water, making rain to fill our lakes, streams, etc. ( Full Answer )
Where does the oxygen in earth's atmosphere come from?
The origin of oxygen (and other large elements) is fromsupernovae. .
On the smaller scale, the vast majority of our oxygen comes fromocean plants, from tiny algae to giant kelp. The atmospheric oxygencomes from the decomposition of water and carbon dioxide byorganisms that use photosynthesis to mak…e useful molecules incombination with the energy from sun light. ( Full Answer )
What planet has an atmosphere closest to earth's atmosphere?
None of them are all that close! Mars would perhaps be as good as it gets, but stay away from all planets farther away than ours unless you love sulfur clouds and acid rain so strong on Venus that it would melt anything that enters it.
How is the earth's atmosphere different from the atmosphere on venus?
The atmosphere of Venus consists mainly of carbon dioxide, and a small amount of nitrogen. The thick cloud cover is composed of sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid droplets. Because of the dense atmosphere, the surface temperature ranges from 750 to 930 degrees Fahrenheit (398 to 498 Celsius). The surf…ace pressure is 90 times that of Earth. That's like being one kilometer (over half a mile) under the ocean. ( Full Answer )
Does about half the energy in earth's atmosphere comes from the sun?
No. Essentially all of the energy in the earth's atmosphere comes from the sun. Tiny amounts come from geothermal (about 0.044%) and from human uses of nuclear energy, but the vast majority comes from the sun.
Where did all the gases in the earth's atmosphere come from?
Scientist theorize that bacteria with chlorophyll in them slowly but surely began to multiply. And as they did, they photosynthesized enough to create an entire atmosphere. (as you know oxygen is a byproduct of photosynthesis)
How is temperature and pressure in the earth's atmosphere?
It is 1G of persure on you right now, meaning 1 Atmosphere of persure, it chages on driffernt bodies in Space, like the Sun is 125G. well at 8 miles up it is -40C, i think it goes up to -125
How does carbon dioxide get into Earth's atmosphere?
It is trapped in a lot of the things we burn as fuel (e.g. coal and oil) so when we burn it the carbon dioxide is released and goes into the atmosphere. Other human activities that add CO2 to the atmosphere include deforestation and cement manufacture. This accounts for about 3% of all annually prod…uced CO2. Since this proportion is an addition to the total amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide, over time the level has increased by around 35 per cent from 260-280 parts per million (ppm) to the present 380 ppm. Plants rotting, volcanoes and nature account for the remaining values. (97%) ( Full Answer )
Where did the free oxygen in Earth's atmosphere come from?
It is released by photosynthesis from ocean dwelling bacteria :) lol its not nice to cheat on study island you know XP
Where is the ozone concentrated in the earth's atmosphere?
Ozone is concentrated at 20-40 km above earth with highestconcentration 6-8 parts per million. It is present in thestratosphere of the earth's atmosphere.
How is venus' atmosphere different from earth's atmosphere?
The atmosphere of Venus consists mainly of carbon dioxide, and a small amount of nitrogen. The thick cloud cover is composed of sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid droplets. Because of the dense atmosphere, the surface temperature ranges from 750 to 930 degrees Fahrenheit (398 to 498 Celsius). The surf…ace pressure is 90 times that of Earth. That's like being one kilometer (over half a mile) under the ocean. ( Full Answer )
What are the elements in the earth's atmosphere?
The atmosphere of Earth is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention (greenhouse effect), and reducing temperature extremes between da…y and night. ( Full Answer )
What is an atmospheric inversion when studying the earth's atmosphere?
Normally, the temperature in the troposphere decreases with height. In an inversion, it increases. There are several reasons that this can happen, but some results include increased pollution in the summer, and particularly cold mornings in the fall and winter when your cell phone may have some trou…ble with reception. ( Full Answer )
What will happen to the Earth's atmosphere?
If we keep burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) and destroying forests then it will get warmer and warmer, threatening our way of life and that of everything else on the earth. If we stop burning fossil fuels tomorrow and change immediately to renewable energy, there's a slim ch…ance that global warming will slow (after quite a number of years) and stabilise, and we might survive! ( Full Answer )
How do volcanoes change the earth's atmosphere?
Well it all depends on the size of the volcano. For example there was a volcano so big that when it erupted itreleased tons of dust that it almost covered the whole entireworld. The dust particles blocked the rays from the sun making theearth drop in temperature for several weeks.
How have volcanoes affected the earth's atmosphere?
The ash from volcanoes has a big effect on both the air and land. Not only do volcanoes spew out ashes, volcanoes let out gases which can be very harmful. The gases that are let out, are the same as some of the ones we produce,like carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and sulfur oxide. Thanks (14 yrs …old) ( Full Answer )
How does volcanoes change the Earth's atmosphere?
it change the earth atmosphere when magma flashes out then the earth surface will be dusty
What divides the layers of the earth's atmosphere?
From the Earth outward the layers of the atmosphere are; Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere. These layers are divided by whether the temperature increases or deceases with an increase in altitude within the layer.
What is a solvent in earth's atmosphere?
The last person said "Water Vapor". From a textbook I read, it says the Earth's atmosphere's solvent isnitrogen. The Earth's atmosphere is made out of 78% nitrogen, whilewater vapor and other gases takes part in only 1% of the earth'satmosphere. The Earth's atmosphere is a gas-gas solution.
Why is earth's atmosphere not running out of oxygen?
Trees and plants, in the process of photosynthesis, are continually replenishing oxygen into the air.
Can man escape Earth's atmosphere?
Yes. We have sent people beyond Earth's atmosphere.However, inorder to survive they must take air with them.
How does the increasing carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere influence the amount of energy leaving earth's atmosphere but not the quantity coming from the sun?
Radiation from the sun comes to earth in the form of ultravioletwaves. The more harmful ones are blocked by the ozone layer and theuseful ones come through the atmosphere unhindered and warm theearth. This warmth then rises in the form of infrared rays.Infrared heat is trapped by greenhouse gases, s…o not as much heatleaves the earth as enters it. ( Full Answer )
How did early Earth's atmosphere differ from Earth's atmosphere today?
The early Earth had a reducing atmosphere, made up predominantly of methane, ammonia, and water vapor. All of these (except water vapor) are now present in trace quantities only; the atmosphere is now predominantly nitrogen and oxygen.
How did bacteria changed Earth's atmosphere?
Early Earth probably had an atmosphere dominated by carbon dioxide similar to the atmosphere of Venus today. # There are a group of one-celled organisms that can live in an oxygen free environment. These are the bacteria or prokaryotes. They do not have a nucleus and reproduce only by cell divisio…n. These creatures are the earliest evidence of life on earth. They were the first organisms to develop photosynthesis. Photosynthesis today is balanced by oxygen using respiration. 1. Hypothesis: Oxygen was nearly absent in the atmosphere of early Earth so photosynthesis would have created a net gain of oxygen first in the ocean and later in the atmosphere. Eventually with sufficient oxygen in the atmosphere respiration would have balanced photosynthesis except when burial removed the organic material from the oxygenated water or air. Before oxygen could build up in the atmosphere it must have oxidized reduced ions in seawater. The most ancient bacteria forms (archaeobacteria) can use the chemical energy in hydrogen sulfide or other inorganic molecules to provide that energy (chemosynthetic). Fossil evidence shows that cyanobacteria have existed on Earth for about 3 billion years. Cyanobacteria were able to use the electromagnetic energy of light to manufacture organic molecules through the process known as photosynthesis. The organic molecules contained chemical energy the cyanobacteria could use. The oxygen gas that was produced is poisonous to many of the anaerobic bacteria. ( Full Answer )
Why is Earth's atmosphere special?
What makes It Special is It's utterly complete Uniqueness; as in Astronomically-One-Of-A-Kind. It being Irreplaceable [and essential for our Survival] and Under A-Full-Blown CO2 Assault also makes It Special and worthy of Our Loving Attention
What do greenhouse gases in earth's atmosphere do?
Greeenhouse gases are but a little bit bad it's good if we didn't have green house gases the earth will be frozen
How is the earth's atmosphere divided into layers?
It is not actually divided into layers by nature. It is a constantly changing mass of gasses with water in suspension with different temperatures and pressures constantly changing their relationship with one another. The notion of layers is only a human tool, a model, to help us understand it better…. The first layer, the one which holds all terrestrial life, is the troposphere. Then there is the stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. ( Full Answer )
What is the Earth's atmospheric weight?
Total mass of atmosphere : 5.1 x 10 18 kg Another calculation has as result 5.4 x 10 18 kg
Is the Earth's atmosphere important to us?
The Earths athmosphere is one of the most important things to us. The athmosphere is very delicate and contains all the protection we need from meteorites, UV rays, and allows the Earth to sustain life.
What does photosynthesis add to earth's atmosphere?
Photosynthesis adds Oxygen to our planet, and it givers the plants energy. Its Chemical equation is: carbon dioxide + water =light energy=> glucose + oxygen 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O =light energy=> C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6O 2
What is the highest layer in earth's atmosphere?
The ionosphere. At the top of this layer, the atmosphere blends into outer space (There's little difference between the two)
How did oxygen come to make up up 21 percent of earth's atmosphere?
Through the process of photosynthesis algae and later plants usedthe energy of sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide intosugar and oxygen. Oxygen levels rose until they reached a highpoint of 36% about 300 million years ago. Climate shifts andchanges in life on Earth later caused some of that… oxygen to goback into carbon dioxide, which was sequestered in carbonate rocks,and oxygen levels began to fluctuate. Currently, oxygen levels areat about 21% but that may change over the next few million years. ( Full Answer )