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The Earth and its Atmosphere 2
Earth - the beautiful planet we call home.

The Earth and its Atmosphere 2

Revise GCSE Chemistry atmosphere change: learn how oxygen built up, how carbon dioxide reduced, and what evidence supports these ideas over time. Read the notes, then try the quiz below.

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Fascinating Fact:

Oxygen in the atmosphere increased much later due to photosynthesis by early algae and plants. Photosynthesis uses carbon dioxide and water to make glucose and oxygen.

In GCSE Chemistry, The Earth and Its Atmosphere 2 explores why the air around Earth is different today from the past. You will study how oxygen levels rose, how carbon dioxide was removed by oceans and rocks, and how evidence like fossils and ice cores supports scientific models.

Key Terms

  • Photosynthesis: A process in plants and algae that uses carbon dioxide and water to make glucose, releasing oxygen.
  • Ice core: A long cylinder of ice that traps ancient air bubbles, showing what gases were present in the past.
  • Carbonate rock: Rock formed when carbon dioxide is locked up in minerals, helping remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

How did oxygen increase in the Earth’s atmosphere?

Oxygen increased when early algae and plants carried out photosynthesis and released oxygen as a product. Over very long time periods, oxygen built up once it was produced faster than it was removed by reactions with rocks and oceans.

What was the early Earth’s atmosphere like compared with today?

The early atmosphere had lots of carbon dioxide and very little oxygen. Today the atmosphere is mostly nitrogen and oxygen, with only small amounts of carbon dioxide and water vapour, which can vary.

What evidence do we use to show the atmosphere has changed over time?

Scientists use rock layers and minerals, fossil evidence of early life, and ice cores that contain trapped gas bubbles. Together these show long-term changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.

Try These Related Quizzes

Click on any picture to see a larger image
1 .
Pick the correct label for the Earth's mantle.
A
B
C
D
Its thickness is just under half of the radius of the Earth
2 .
Which letter on the diagram refers to a section of the Earth which is made up of a solid layer and a liquid layer?
A
B
C
D
C refers to the core - inner and outer
3 .
Which label on the diagram shows the place where convection currents occur, causing the crust to move?
A
B
C
D
Convection currents within the mantle cause movement of the crust's tectonic plates
4 .
The diagram shows how the continents on the Earth have moved over the past 250 million years. What was the name given to the original single land mass?
Gaia
Pangea
Europe
Panacea
The name Pangea is derived from Ancient Greek, pan meaning 'entire' and Gaia meaning 'Earth'
5 .
The photograph is of Mount St. Helens in the US. The volcano erupted in 1980, killing 57 people. Where are volcanoes most likely to be formed?
When two continental plates meet
When a continental and an oceanic plate meet
When two plates move in different directions next to each other
When two plates move away from each other
When a continental and an oceanic plate meet, the less dense continental plate slides over the top of the oceanic plate and this is called subduction. The oceanic plate is remelted and the magma rises and forms a volcano
6 .
The diagram shows the percentage of different gases in the atmosphere today and the Earth's early atmosphere. Pick the correct value for the gas with 95% abundance in the early atmosphere.
(Click on the picture to enlarge it.)
Carbon dioxide
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Water vapour
The gases of the atmosphere are believed to have come from volcanic eruptions
7 .
Pick the correct gas for the label 78% abundance in the atmosphere of the current day.
(Click on the picture to enlarge it.)
Carbon dioxide
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Water vapour
Most of the air that you breathe in is nitrogen
8 .
The picture is of the aftermath of an earthquake that hit Kobe in Japan in 1995. What causes earthquakes to happen in Japan?
Two continental plates meeting
A continental and an oceanic plate meeting
Two plates moving in different directions next to each other
Two plates moving away from each other
This movement creates friction so the plates don't move smoothly, creating earthquakes
9 .
The photograph is of Earth from space. There are layers of gases between the Earth and space. The effect of which layer being damaged can increase the incidence of skin cancers amongst people on Earth?
Layer of hydrogen and helium
Layer of CO2
Ozone layer
Mesosphere
The ozone layer protects us from the harmful effects of UV rays from the Sun
10 .
The picture shows the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March of 2011. Why is it difficult to predict when earthquakes will occur?
We don't know what causes earthquakes
Earthquakes have no known cause and are completely random
We can predict where an earthquake will happen
Interactions between tectonic plates are very complex
The movement of tectonic plates is not smooth, sometimes the rocks lock together. The plates continue to move and so the rocks are put under strain. There are so many factors involved, it is currently impossible to know when the rocks will become 'unstuck'. When they do, this causes an earthquake
Author:  Kate Gardiner (Chemistry Educator & GCSE Quiz Writer)
Chemistry Play this quiz again

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