The evolution of the atmosphere ⭐️ Flashcards
(3 cards)
Phase 1- volcanoes gave out gases
-in the first … year of history the … of the earth was … in … that …, releasing lots of …
-the early … was mainly … with barely any …
-… activity released n…, w… v…, m… and a… which built up in the …
-in the first billion year of history the surface of the earth was covered in volcanoes that erupted, releasing lots of gas
-the early atmosphere was mainly co2 with barely any oxygen
-volcanic activity released nitrogen, water vapour, methane and ammonia which built up in the atmosphere
Phase 2- oceans, algae and green plants absorb co2
-when the … vapour was … it formed …
-lots of … from the … atmosphere was … in the …
-this … co2 went through a … of … to form carbon p… that formed … on the … bed
-… plants and a… evolved and … co2 to carry out p…
-m… animals later … and their … and skeletons contained c… from the o…
-some of the … taken in by the organisms from the … and oceans became … up in r… and fossil … when the organism …
-when the water vapour was condensed it formed oceans
-lots of co2 from the early atmosphere was dissolved in the oceans
-this dissolved co2 went through a series of reactions to form carbon precipitates that formed sediments on the sea bed
-green plants and algae evolved and absorbed co2 to carry out photosynthesis
-marine animals later evolved and their shells and skeletons contained carbonates from the oceans
-some of the carbon taken in by the organisms from the atmosphere and oceans became locked up in rocks and fossil fuels when the organism died
Phase 3- green plants and algae produce oxygen
-as well as absorbing co2 they also produced oxygen from photosynthesis
-algae evolved first and then green plants evolved around 1 billion years later
-as oxygen levels built up in the atmosphere over time more complex life evolved
-todays atmosphere is around 80% nitrogen, 20% oxygen and less than 1% of co2, noble gases and water vapour
