Planetary and Stellar Atmospheres Quiz

Respiration and Photosynthesis

• Oxygen is the primary gas required for respiration in most organisms, crucial for cellular metabolism and energy production.
• Carbon dioxide is primarily used by plants, algae, and cyanobacteria during photosynthesis to produce glucose and oxygen.

Earth's Atmosphere

• Nitrogen is the most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere, making up about 78% of its composition, followed by oxygen at approximately 21%.
• Ozone is responsible for minimizing harmful effects of sunlight and radiation by absorbing the majority of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation, thereby protecting living organisms.

Stellar Structure

• The outer region of a star, which includes layers above the opaque photosphere, is referred to as the star's atmosphere or outer envelope, encompassing layers like the chromosphere and corona.