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How Earth's Early Air Was Made and Why Pollution Matters

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Jess Drew

10/06/2022

Chemistry

Atmospheric composition

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Overview

How Earth's Early Air Was Made and Why Pollution Matters

The Earth's atmosphere evolved from volcanic gases to its current composition, with significant changes in carbon dioxide levels. Formation of Earth's early atmosphere involved volcanic activity releasing gases like CO2, water vapor, and nitrogen. Over time, CO2 decreased through various processes, while oxygen increased due to photosynthesis. The atmosphere now consists mainly of nitrogen and oxygen, with trace amounts of other gases. Impact of pollutants on climate change is significant, with greenhouse gases like CO2 and methane contributing to global warming. Various pollutants, including carbon monoxide and acidic oxides, pose serious environmental and health risks.

  • Earth's atmosphere evolved from volcanic gases to its current composition
  • Carbon dioxide levels decreased over time through various processes
  • Oxygen levels increased due to photosynthesis by early life forms
  • Pollutants like carbon monoxide and acidic oxides pose environmental and health risks
  • Greenhouse gases contribute to global warming and climate change
...

10/06/2022

210

Forming the earth's atmosphere Pollutant-A substance released into the environment which may harm living things The earth's atmosphere is ma

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Atmospheric Pollutants and Their Effects

Various pollutants have significant impacts on the environment and human health. The main pollutants discussed are carbon monoxide, carbon particulates, and acidic oxides.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas that poses severe health risks. How carbon monoxide affects health is particularly concerning due to its high toxicity. It binds to hemoglobin, preventing oxygen from circulating throughout the body.

Definition: Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body.

Carbon particulates, small particles of soot formed by incomplete combustion, adhere to the lungs, potentially causing bronchitis and heart disease.

Acidic oxides, which are non-metal oxides, dissolve in water to create acid rain. This phenomenon has devastating effects on ecosystems, often leading to their destruction as ecological niches disappear.

The formation of acid rain occurs when certain pollutants dissolve in water:

  • SO3 + H2O → H2SO4
  • NO2 + H2O → HNO2
  • CO2 + H2O → H2CO3

Example: Acid rain can make lakes more acidic, destroying ecological niches and causing widespread damage to aquatic ecosystems.

Problems caused by acid rain include:

  • Increased acidity in lakes, destroying ecological niches
  • Corrosion of infrastructure and transport systems
  • Destruction of forests due to wood corrosion

The production of carbon monoxide often involves the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. For instance, methane can produce carbon monoxide through the following reaction:

CH4 + 1.5O2 → CO + 2H2O

In this reaction, methane burns in oxygen, with carbon being oxidized to form carbon monoxide and hydrogen being oxidized to form water.

Forming the earth's atmosphere Pollutant-A substance released into the environment which may harm living things The earth's atmosphere is ma

View

Climate Change and Global Warming

The Earth's climate is significantly affected by the presence of certain gases in the atmosphere, particularly carbon dioxide and methane. These gases contribute to the greenhouse effect, which plays a crucial role in maintaining the Earth's temperature.

Definition: The greenhouse effect is the process by which carbon dioxide and methane in the Earth's atmosphere absorb heat from the sun and emit it in all directions, keeping the Earth warm.

Global warming refers to the sustained increase in the Earth's average temperature. This phenomenon is closely linked to the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, primarily due to human activities.

Vocabulary: Climate change - Permanent change in the Earth's weather patterns as a result of human actions, including the release of large quantities of carbon dioxide.

The impact of pollutants on climate change is significant and far-reaching. The release of greenhouse gases, particularly through industrial processes and the burning of fossil fuels, has led to a rapid increase in global temperatures. This warming trend has cascading effects on weather patterns, sea levels, and ecosystems worldwide.

Highlight: The interconnectedness of atmospheric composition, pollutants, and climate change underscores the importance of understanding and addressing human impacts on the environment.

Understanding the formation of Earth's early atmosphere, the effects of pollutants, and the mechanisms of climate change is crucial for developing strategies to mitigate environmental damage and protect human health. As we continue to study these phenomena, it becomes increasingly clear that human activities have profound impacts on the delicate balance of our planet's atmosphere and climate systems.

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Overview

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10 Jun 2022

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3 pages

How Earth's Early Air Was Made and Why Pollution Matters

J

Jess Drew

@rj2105

The Earth's atmosphere evolved from volcanic gases to its current composition, with significant changes in carbon dioxide levels. Formation of Earth's early atmosphereinvolved volcanic activity releasing gases like CO2, water vapor, and nitrogen. Over time, CO2 decreased through various... Show more

Forming the earth's atmosphere Pollutant-A substance released into the environment which may harm living things The earth's atmosphere is ma

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Atmospheric Pollutants and Their Effects

Various pollutants have significant impacts on the environment and human health. The main pollutants discussed are carbon monoxide, carbon particulates, and acidic oxides.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas that poses severe health risks. How carbon monoxide affects health is particularly concerning due to its high toxicity. It binds to hemoglobin, preventing oxygen from circulating throughout the body.

Definition: Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body.

Carbon particulates, small particles of soot formed by incomplete combustion, adhere to the lungs, potentially causing bronchitis and heart disease.

Acidic oxides, which are non-metal oxides, dissolve in water to create acid rain. This phenomenon has devastating effects on ecosystems, often leading to their destruction as ecological niches disappear.

The formation of acid rain occurs when certain pollutants dissolve in water:

  • SO3 + H2O → H2SO4
  • NO2 + H2O → HNO2
  • CO2 + H2O → H2CO3

Example: Acid rain can make lakes more acidic, destroying ecological niches and causing widespread damage to aquatic ecosystems.

Problems caused by acid rain include:

  • Increased acidity in lakes, destroying ecological niches
  • Corrosion of infrastructure and transport systems
  • Destruction of forests due to wood corrosion

The production of carbon monoxide often involves the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. For instance, methane can produce carbon monoxide through the following reaction:

CH4 + 1.5O2 → CO + 2H2O

In this reaction, methane burns in oxygen, with carbon being oxidized to form carbon monoxide and hydrogen being oxidized to form water.

Forming the earth's atmosphere Pollutant-A substance released into the environment which may harm living things The earth's atmosphere is ma

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Climate Change and Global Warming

The Earth's climate is significantly affected by the presence of certain gases in the atmosphere, particularly carbon dioxide and methane. These gases contribute to the greenhouse effect, which plays a crucial role in maintaining the Earth's temperature.

Definition: The greenhouse effect is the process by which carbon dioxide and methane in the Earth's atmosphere absorb heat from the sun and emit it in all directions, keeping the Earth warm.

Global warming refers to the sustained increase in the Earth's average temperature. This phenomenon is closely linked to the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, primarily due to human activities.

Vocabulary: Climate change - Permanent change in the Earth's weather patterns as a result of human actions, including the release of large quantities of carbon dioxide.

The impact of pollutants on climate change is significant and far-reaching. The release of greenhouse gases, particularly through industrial processes and the burning of fossil fuels, has led to a rapid increase in global temperatures. This warming trend has cascading effects on weather patterns, sea levels, and ecosystems worldwide.

Highlight: The interconnectedness of atmospheric composition, pollutants, and climate change underscores the importance of understanding and addressing human impacts on the environment.

Understanding the formation of Earth's early atmosphere, the effects of pollutants, and the mechanisms of climate change is crucial for developing strategies to mitigate environmental damage and protect human health. As we continue to study these phenomena, it becomes increasingly clear that human activities have profound impacts on the delicate balance of our planet's atmosphere and climate systems.

Forming the earth's atmosphere Pollutant-A substance released into the environment which may harm living things The earth's atmosphere is ma

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Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Formation of Earth's Atmosphere and Early Life

The Earth's atmosphere has undergone significant changes since the planet's formation. Initially, volcanic activity played a crucial role in shaping the atmospheric composition. The early atmosphere was primarily composed of carbon dioxide 20.520.5%, water vapor 70.570.5%, sulfur dioxide 6.96.9%, hydrogen 0.90.9%, and other gases 1.21.2%.

Vocabulary: Pollutant - A substance released into the environment which may harm living things.

The current atmosphere consists of:

  • Nitrogen N2N₂ - 78%
  • Oxygen O2O₂ - 21%
  • Argon ArAr - 0.9%
  • Carbon dioxide CO2CO₂ - 0.04%

The drastic reduction in carbon dioxide levels can be attributed to several factors. Most of the CO2 dissolved into the sea, was used for photosynthesis by early life forms, and became trapped in rocks. Seashells, for instance, are formed by carbon dioxide.

Example: Seashells are a prime example of how carbon dioxide can be locked up in solid form, contributing to the reduction of atmospheric CO2 levels.

The timeline of Earth's atmospheric evolution includes:

  1. 4500 million years ago: Volcanoes released CO2, water, and nitrogen into the atmosphere.
  2. The early atmosphere was mostly CO2 with some ammonia and steam.
  3. Water vapor condensed and fell to Earth, forming the world's oceans.
  4. 3.4 billion years ago: The first life forms appeared, not requiring oxygen.
  5. CO2 levels fell as it became locked up in sedimentary rocks.
  6. Oxygen levels increased, allowing for the emergence of animals.
  7. The first bacteria formed, followed by plants that began to photosynthesize, releasing oxygen as a waste product.

Highlight: The evolution of photosynthesizing organisms was a crucial turning point in Earth's history, leading to the oxygen-rich atmosphere we have today.

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Samantha Klich

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Anna

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Thomas R

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Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

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This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

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Sudenaz Ocak

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Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

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This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

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