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Life Types and Earth's Atmosphere Explained

The document outlines the two main types of life: prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and discusses the formation of Earth's atmosphere and oceans through outgassing and impacts. It explains the importance of the atmosphere for life, the energy balance on Earth, the greenhouse effect, and the role of plate tectonics and the carbon cycle in regulating climate. Additionally, it touches on Earth's magnetic field, the impact of an asteroid on dinosaur extinction, and the formation of the Moon from a collision with Earth.

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11 views3 pages

Life Types and Earth's Atmosphere Explained

The document outlines the two main types of life: prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and discusses the formation of Earth's atmosphere and oceans through outgassing and impacts. It explains the importance of the atmosphere for life, the energy balance on Earth, the greenhouse effect, and the role of plate tectonics and the carbon cycle in regulating climate. Additionally, it touches on Earth's magnetic field, the impact of an asteroid on dinosaur extinction, and the formation of the Moon from a collision with Earth.

Uploaded by

squeakadoodle6084
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Two Types of Life:

● Prokaryotes: single-celled organisms that lack a nucleus, mitochondria, or any other


membrane-bound organelles (e.g. cyanobacteria)
○ Bacteria and Archaea
● Eukaryotes: any organism with cells that contain a nucleus. Can be multicellular or single
cellular (e.g. yeast, amoebas, humans)
○ Eukarya

How did Earth get an atmosphere and oceans?


● Plantesimals farther out in the solar system would have more gas and icy content
● The solar system is NOT static
● There are a lot of things hitting the Earth after formation (LHB)

Outgassing
● Molten rock erupts onto surface as lava
● Release of pressure violently expels trapped gas
● Volcanism is a major source
● Released:
○ Water vapor (H2O)
○ Carbon dioxide (CO2)
○ Nitrogen (N2)
○ Sulfur-bearing gases (H2S, SO2)
○ Hydrogen (H2)
● Earth's early atmosphere was probably dominated by CO2

Oxygen came from cyanobacteria --> iron bands in rocks

Why is atmosphere important for life?


● Allows for liquid water
○ Provides atmospheric pressure
● High air pressure is necessary for liquid water
○ Keeps the Earth warm

Energy Balance: energy absorbed by Earth = energy emitted by Earth


● Energy in =
● πr(
● e
● 2
● )So(1−A)
●
○ A = Albedo (0.3)
○ So = Solar constant (1370 W/m^2)
●
● Energy out = 4πr
● e
● 2
● σT[Equation]
○ Te - effective radiating temperature

Planetary Energy Balance Equation


Energy Absorbed by Earth = Energy Emitted by Earth
[Equation]
[Equation]
Te = 255 K (-18°C, 0°F) - Effective (equilibrium) temperature
Ts = 288 K (15°, 59°F) - Actual (globally-averaged) surface temperature
ΔT = Ts – Te = 33K - Greenhouse effect

The Greenhouse Effect


● Atmosphere is transparent to visible radiation
● Absorbed sunlight is emitted by Earth is thermal radiation
● Thermal radiation is absorbed by atmospheric gases
● Gases emit IR upwards and back down towards surface

Greenhouse Gases
● Absorb and emit infrared radiation
● H2O, CO2, CH4, N2O, O3, CFCs

Plate Tectonics
● Inside of Earth is hot, dense, and strongly differentiated into light silicates and heavy metals
● Convection currents have broken the brittle lithosphere (crust and upper mantle) into 16
plates
● Act as a thermostat on Earth, stabilizing temperature through CO2 release
Carbon Cycle
● Volcanoes outgas CO2 --> atmospheric CO2 dissolves in rainwater --> rainfall erodes rock on
land and rivers carry broken down minerals to the sea --> broken down minerals react with
dissolved CO2 to form carbonate rocks --> carbonate rocks subduct and melt, releasing CO2

Changes in Earth's axial tilt affects climate

Earth's magnetic field


● Earth's molten, conductive core is spinning and churning
● Core is driven by convection:
○ Hot liquid rises
○ Gets to top and cools
○ Falls down and gets heated again
● Motions of charged particles in the Earth's core creates magnetic fields. Changing magnetic
fields generates electric fields --> magnetic dynamo
● Protects us from solar wind (stream of charged particles coming from the sun)
● Planets without a magnetic field may lose atmosphere and get excess radiation

Dinosaur Extinction was probably by a huge asteroid impact --> global firestorms and tsunamis --> dust
in the air caused 10%-20% less sunlight

Moon formed from a collision with the Earth

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