Early Earth
Only 2 teams can steal !
How old is earth ?
a) ~4.3 billion years old
b) ~4.5 billion years old
c) ~4.6 billion years old
d) ~14 billion years old
B
NO STEAL
True or false: Tectonic plate formation occurred round the same time as the formation of oceans.
True
NO STEAL
True or False : Did Earth have oceans when it first developed ?
FALSE
It was too hot for oceans to form !
What is the most abundant element in the universe ?
Hydrogen
What are amino acids ?
Amino Acids: chemical compounds that are the building block of all life
What is the name of the experiment that supports the thoery that life on Earth could have spont. formed from inorganic ingredients, and that organic molecules can arise from inorganic precursors.
Miller- Urey Experiment
How fast do tectonic plates move per year ?
0.4 - 4 inches / year
Based on the primordial soup theory, what marine zone did the gases originate from ?
Abyssal zone
No Steal
How old is the universe ?
a) 4.5 billion years old
b) 4.6 billion years old
c) 13 billion years old
d) 14 billion years old
D
What does volatile mean ?
Volatile: A compound able to change spontaneously or rapidly.
If early earth was a reducing environment, where did the O2 come from ?
Oxygens thought to have come from photodissociation of water vapor and CO2 by Photons
On what layer do tectonic plates reside in ?
Lithosphere
What is the name of the ocean zone closest to shore ?(Aka. Most people reside in this zone when visiting the beach)
Intertidal Zone
What are organic & inorganic compounds ?
Organic Compounds: molecules/compounds made up of carbon and hydrogen
Inorganic Compounds: molecules / compounds that do not contain carbon and hydrogen
What are prokaryotes
Prokaryotes: Organisms that lack a nucleus and membrane- bound organelles
What is the Primordial Soup Theory ?
Organic compounds starting as amino acids could have spontaneously formed in the ocean from the mix of gases in the atmosphere and the energy from lightning strikes.
Allowed heat from earth to escape & the movement of plates exposed new minerals and gases to the environment. Plate movement created mountains, volcanoes, ocean basins which created a suitable environment for life to form.
Name the two zones that make up the Pelagic Zone and explain each one
I. Aphotic Zone: one in the ocean where there is little to no light. The only light found in tis zone is produced by bioluminescent species
II. Photic Zone: Zone in the ocean where sufficient light for photosynthesis to take place. ~200 meters
What is the Benthic Zone ?
The button layer/ ocean floor. Made up of sand & sediment. Occupied by organisms called benthos or bottom dwellers
what are Photosynthetic Bacteria?
prokaryotes that utilize photosynthesis to convert light energy into chemical energy
Name 4 out of the 9 gases that existed in early earth
Methane (CH4)
Ammonia (NH4)
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Nitrogen (N)
Hydrogen (H)
Helium (He)
Argon (Ar)
Water (H2O)
What are the three main ways tectonic plates move, and explain each one.
Transform Boundary: a geological boundary where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally.
Convergence: a tectonic plate boundary where two plates collide. This collision can result in one plate subducting beneath the other
Divergence: a geological feature where two tectonic plates move apart from each other. At these boundaries, magma rises from the Earth's mantle, solidifies, and creates new oceanic crust.
Name all 5 marine ocean zones.
Intertidal Zone, Neritic Zone, Oceanic Zone, Benthic Zone, & Pelagic Zone
What are the three main atoms that make up our current atmosphere ?
Nitrogen, Oxygen , & Argon
What does a "reducing" environment mean ?
No O2 is present