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Questions and Answers
What are the two main components of the Earth's atmosphere?
What are the two main components of the Earth's atmosphere?
Nitrogen and oxygen
What was the process that led to the loss of the primordial atmosphere?
What was the process that led to the loss of the primordial atmosphere?
Solar winds
What was released from the interior of the Earth during the cooling process?
What was released from the interior of the Earth during the cooling process?
Gases and water vapour
What was the process called when gases were released from the interior of the Earth?
What was the process called when gases were released from the interior of the Earth?
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What was the result of the condensation of water vapour in the atmosphere?
What was the result of the condensation of water vapour in the atmosphere?
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How long did it take for the oceans to form after the formation of the Earth?
How long did it take for the oceans to form after the formation of the Earth?
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When did life begin to evolve on Earth?
When did life begin to evolve on Earth?
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When did the process of photosynthesis evolve?
When did the process of photosynthesis evolve?
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Study Notes
Composition of Earth's Atmosphere
- The present atmosphere is mainly composed of nitrogen and oxygen.
Evolution of the Present Atmosphere
- The process of evolution of the present atmosphere can be divided into three stages.
- The first stage involved the loss of the primordial atmosphere due to solar winds.
Loss of Primordial Atmosphere
- The early atmosphere, composed of hydrogen and helium, was stripped off due to solar winds.
- This phenomenon occurred not only on Earth but also on other terrestrial planets.
Second Stage of Evolution
- The hot interior of the Earth contributed to the evolution of the atmosphere during the cooling process.
- Gases and water vapour were released from the interior of the solid Earth through a process called degassing.
- Volcanic eruptions also contributed to the release of gases and water vapour into the atmosphere.
Formation of Oceans
- The released water vapour condensed and fell onto the surface, collecting in depressions to form oceans.
- The oceans were formed within 500 million years of the Earth's formation, making them approximately 4,000 million years old.
Emergence of Life
- Life began to evolve around 3,800 million years ago.
- The process of photosynthesis emerged around 2,500-3,000 million years ago.
- Initially, life was confined to the oceans, with oxygen being released into the oceans through photosynthesis.
- Eventually, the oceans became saturated with oxygen, and around 2,000 million years ago, oxygen began to flood the atmosphere.
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Description
Learn about the composition and structure of the Earth's atmosphere, including the evolution of the present atmosphere and the role of the living world in modifying its composition.
