The Early Atmosphere

Question 1

What did the earths early atmosphere contain?

Answer 1

• A little or no oxygen
• A large amount of carbon dioxide
• Water vapour and small amounts of other gases

Question 2

Describe how condensation of water vapour formed oceans.

Answer 2

As the earth became older and cooled down, the water vapour in the hot atmosphere also cooled down and is thought to have condensed to a liquid water. This formed oceans

Question 3

How was the earths early atmosphere formed?

Answer 3

The gases produced by volcanic activity

Question 4

Explain why there are different sources of information about the atmosphere which makes it difficult to be precise about the evolution of the atmosphere.

Answer 4

The atmosphere of Titan was 98% nitrogen- thought to be released by volcanoes- like earths early atmosphere
Volcanoes on Mars and Venus but atmosphere was mostly carbon dioxide- this led to other scientists to think that the earths early atmospheric was carbon dioxide