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Releasing oxygen into the atmosphereA number of billions of years ago there was no oxygen in the atmosphere. In fact oxygen was a poison to everything that lived. At some point in this distant past, a bacteria managed to absorb a smaller cell that used chlorophyll to photosynthesise. This became a symbiosis relationship where the bacteria protected the little cell, while the little cell fed the bacteria.

This successful harmony resulted in a large number of photosynthesising cells that take water (H2O - dihydrogen oxide) and used sunlight as the power source to extract the hydrogen for food and release the oxygen. The released oxygen found it's way into the atmosphere. This is the exact chemical reaction that continues today in all plants and algae.

Ok, for those on Study Island the answer is the free oxygen bubbled up from the oceans.

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What was the importance of photosynthesis in the evolution of the earths atmosphere?

Photosynthesis played a crucial role in the evolution of Earth's atmosphere by producing oxygen as a byproduct. This process greatly increased the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere, making it possible for aerobic organisms to thrive and leading to the development of more complex life forms. The rise of photosynthetic organisms also contributed to the stabilization of Earth's climate over time.


Which process in living things evolved as oxygen levels increased in earths atmosphere?

Aerobic respiration evolved as oxygen levels increased in Earth's atmosphere. This process allows living organisms to efficiently extract energy from food by using oxygen to break down glucose molecules and produce ATP. As oxygen became more abundant, organisms that could perform aerobic respiration gained a significant evolutionary advantage.


How much of earth's atmosphere is composed of nitrogen gas?

The earths atmosphere is made up of 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen


What must photosynthetic bacteria provide before any eukaryotes could evovlve?

Oxygen. Photosynthetic bacteria were essential in producing oxygen through photosynthesis, which created an oxygen-rich atmosphere. This new oxygenated environment allowed for the evolution of aerobic metabolism in eukaryotes.


Which atmosphere gas is photosynthesis the major source of?

Oxygen is the major source of photosynthesis in the atmosphere. During photosynthesis, plants and other photosynthetic organisms convert carbon dioxide into oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. This oxygen is then released into the air, replenishing the levels in the atmosphere.