Oxygen and Life Essay Example
Bio Lab 101
Smithsonian Laboratory
Early Atmosphere
1. How abundant was oxygen in the early atmosphere?
The earth’s early atmosphere contained only small amounts of free oxygen, produced by the reaction of water vapor with sunlight. The oxygen rich atmosphere that developed later and on which oxygen breathing life now depends was result of the origin and spread of organisms capable of photosynthesis.
2. What evidence do scientists have that the oxygen content of our atmosphere has increased since the earth’s origin?
By looking at the rustiness of ancient rocks, scientists attempt to trace the evolution of oxygen in the atmosphere.
3. Why is oxygen more abundant in the atmosphere today? spread of organisms that did photosynthesis.
4. What are stromatolites?
stramolites are laminated mound like structures that generally form in shallow water through the growth of microscopic blue-green algae and bacteria.
5. What do scientists think is implied by the presence of stromatolites in Precambrian rock?
May of the algae and bacteria that build modern stramolites are photosynthesis.
6. What is ozone and how is it produced?
Ozone screens out most of the ultra violet radiation from the sunlight. Ozone forms through the action of ultra violet radiation on oxygen in the upper atmosphere and many scientist reason that their layer could have formed only after oxygen from photosynthesis began to accumulate.
7. Why is the ozone important to life today?
The ozone is important to life because it acts as a shield from the harmful effects of direct radiation.
8. What effect did increased levels of oxygen in the atmosphere have on early life forms? Created a threat because of the early life form because their environment polluted by their oxygen reducing neighbors whose internal chemistries could resist oxygen toxic free.
Banded Iron Formation
1. What is banded iron Rock that contains oxidized iron, iron
Smithsonian Laboratory
Early Atmosphere
1. How abundant was oxygen in the early atmosphere?
The earth’s early atmosphere contained only small amounts of free oxygen, produced by the reaction of water vapor with sunlight. The oxygen rich atmosphere that developed later and on which oxygen breathing life now depends was result of the origin and spread of organisms capable of photosynthesis.
2. What evidence do scientists have that the oxygen content of our atmosphere has increased since the earth’s origin?
By looking at the rustiness of ancient rocks, scientists attempt to trace the evolution of oxygen in the atmosphere.
3. Why is oxygen more abundant in the atmosphere today? spread of organisms that did photosynthesis.
4. What are stromatolites?
stramolites are laminated mound like structures that generally form in shallow water through the growth of microscopic blue-green algae and bacteria.
5. What do scientists think is implied by the presence of stromatolites in Precambrian rock?
May of the algae and bacteria that build modern stramolites are photosynthesis.
6. What is ozone and how is it produced?
Ozone screens out most of the ultra violet radiation from the sunlight. Ozone forms through the action of ultra violet radiation on oxygen in the upper atmosphere and many scientist reason that their layer could have formed only after oxygen from photosynthesis began to accumulate.
7. Why is the ozone important to life today?
The ozone is important to life because it acts as a shield from the harmful effects of direct radiation.
8. What effect did increased levels of oxygen in the atmosphere have on early life forms? Created a threat because of the early life form because their environment polluted by their oxygen reducing neighbors whose internal chemistries could resist oxygen toxic free.
Banded Iron Formation
1. What is banded iron Rock that contains oxidized iron, iron