Layla Nemrouri

October 16, 2014

5A

How have human activities, biological processes, and geological processes affected
the evolution and origin of the Earths atmosphere? There are three main processes
that have affected the evolution of the Earths atmosphere. The Earths atmosphere
is affected by human activities, geological processes, and biological processes. All
of these processes affect the Earths atmosphere by causing pollution. This
pollution is mainly caused by the release of Carbon Dioxide in substantial amounts
into the atmosphere.
Carbon Dioxide is released into the atmosphere in such great amounts
because it is released independently while burning fossil fuels such as gasoline,
coal, and natural gases. Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere by
electricity, cars, and other fuel burning things. Carbon dioxide affects the Earths
atmosphere in many different ways. First off are climate changes. Carbon dioxide
affects physiology and growth of the Earths atmosphere. Greenhouse gasses are an
additional reason for the increase and release of carbon monoxide. Greenhouses
gases occur naturally, but because of human activities have caused so much
pollution it has sped up the process. Greenhouse gases are caused by power plants,
cars, landfills, farms, and cleared forests. Greenhouse gases help keep temperatures
suitable for plants and animals.
Geological Processes have also influenced the Earth and the Earths atmosphere in
great ways. Before geological processes the Earth was basically an oozing ball of
magma. A hot liquid that lays beneath the crust of the earth, magma is also called
lava and is vital in the creation of igneous rocks. As space rocks crashed against
one another, it began to create heat from the hot rock. As this occurs, and the rocks
group together, they collide, which in turn helped form the Earth. As all the
smashing and breaking and colliding finished, the earth finally began to cool down.

Layla Nemrouri
October 16, 2014
5A

This cooling process formed a thin layer of crust on the Earths surface. As the
process continues water vapor began to condense in the early stages of the Earths
atmosphere. Clouds began to form and rain showered the entire planet. As the rain
fell the surface of the Earth cooled until there was no longer just rain, but oceans.
The Earth is believed to be about 4.6 billion years old and scientist have discovered
rocks on earth to be at least 3.9 billion years old. In order for these scientists to find
out how old these rocks are they use radiometric dating methods. A process that
determines the age of by the decay of their radioactive developments, radiometric
dating is an important process in the learning and teaching of the early stages of the
earth. Because of these painstakingly important processes, the Earth is an
inhabitable green planet today.
Earths biological processes are just as important as well. A main source of
Earths biological processes is photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is split into two
equal parts, energy fixing reaction and carbon fixing reaction. Carbon fixing
reaction occurs when glucose and other carbohydrates are synthesized during the
carbon fixing reaction of photosynthesis. The most essential part of this reaction is
carbon dioxide. Energy fixing reaction on the other hand begins when light is
absorbed in a photosystem in thylakoid membranes. A photosystem is a
biochemical mechanism in plants in which chlorophyll absorbs light energy for
photosynthesis. In Earths early ages it is believed that gases such as hydrogen,
water vapor, methane, and nitrogen existed. The hydrosphere, for example, was
formed 4 billion years ago by water vapor. This helped create oceans, which in turn
formed sedimentation. But by far the most important part of Earths early
atmosphere was the absence of oxygen.

Layla Nemrouri
October 16, 2014
5A

In conclusion human activities, geological processes, and biological

processes have affected the Earths atmosphere in both negative and positive ways.
Without geological processes the earth might still be a molten ball of lava. Without
human activities the Earth would have much less pollution. Without geological
processes we might not have oceans. All of these processes are vital in the
evolution and origin of the Earths atmosphere.

Citations

Souther Kings, n.d. Web.

<http://www.edu.pe.ca/southernkings/processes.htmentering

"Introduction to Biological Processes." Foundational Concepts. Department of

Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, n.d. Web.