Earth's Atmosphere Quiz

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz

Study Flashcards

Spaced Repetition

Chat to Lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What gas made up the largest proportion of the Earth's atmosphere for the last 200 million years?

Nitrogen (correct)
Carbon Dioxide
Methane
Oxygen

Which process primarily contributed to the increase of oxygen in the atmosphere around 2.7 billion years ago?

Dissolution of CO₂ in oceans
Formation of carbonates
Volcanic activity releasing gases
Photosynthesis by algae and plants (correct)

What was a significant characteristic of the Earth's early atmosphere according to prevailing theories?

Primarily composed of carbon dioxide (correct)
Rich in oxygen
Similar to today's atmosphere
Contains large quantities of ozone

How did the percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere decrease?

<p>Photosynthesis by plants and algae (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which gases are noted as being present in small proportions in the current atmosphere?

<p>Carbon dioxide, water vapor, and noble gases (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

What are the major gases in Earth's atmosphere?

The Earth's atmosphere is primarily composed of nitrogen (80%) and oxygen (20%), with smaller amounts of other gases like carbon dioxide, water vapor, and noble gases.

How long has the Earth's atmosphere been relatively consistent?

The composition of the Earth's atmosphere has been stable for millions of years, consisting mainly of nitrogen and oxygen.

What was the early Earth's atmosphere like?

The early Earth's atmosphere was likely very different from today's. It is theorized to have primarily consisted of carbon dioxide (CO₂) with little or no oxygen (O₂), similar to the atmospheres of Mars and Venus today.

How did volcanoes contribute to the early Earth's atmosphere?

Volcanic activity is believed to have released gases like carbon dioxide, nitrogen, methane, and ammonia, contributing to the formation of the early Earth's atmosphere.

Signup and view all the flashcards

How did oxygen levels rise in the Earth's atmosphere?

Algae and plants play a key role in increasing the oxygen levels in the atmosphere by using carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose and oxygen through the process of photosynthesis.

Signup and view all the flashcards