The Atmosphere Story
The air you breathe has not always been like this. Follow the Earth's atmosphere from a volcanic, carbon-dioxide-rich start to today's mix of nitrogen and oxygen, and see how greenhouse gases and pollutants are changing it again.
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The story of the air 🌍
The air you breathe has not always been like this. Billions of years ago the Earth's atmosphere was mostly **carbon dioxide** with almost no **oxygen**. This module tells the story of how the atmosphere **changed** over geological time, what it is made of **today**, and how **greenhouse gases** and **pollutants** are changing it again.
The language of the atmosphere 🔑
Four ideas run through this module:
How the atmosphere changed 🪜
An interactive activity.
The early atmosphere 🌋
What was the Earth's early atmosphere mostly made of?
- Carbon dioxide and water vapour, with little oxygen
- Mostly oxygen, much like the air today
- Pure nitrogen and nothing else
- Helium and hydrogen only
Plot the rise of oxygen 📈
An interactive activity.
Then and now ⚖️
The Earth's atmosphere today is very different from the one it began with.
Which are greenhouse gases? ✅
Select the TWO gases that are greenhouse gases.
- Carbon dioxide
- Methane
- Nitrogen
- Argon
The greenhouse effect 🌡️
Some gases trap heat. The **Sun** sends mostly **short-wavelength** radiation, which passes through the atmosphere and is absorbed by the Earth. The warmed Earth re-emits energy as longer-wavelength **infrared**. **Greenhouse gases** such as **carbon dioxide**, **methane** and **water vapour** absorb this infrared and re-radiate some of it back to the surface, warming the Earth. Adding more greenhouse gas traps more heat, driving **climate change**.
Trapping the heat ☀️
How do greenhouse gases keep the Earth warm?
- They absorb infrared from the Earth and re-radiate some of it back
- They stop sunlight from ever reaching the ground
- They cool the Earth by reflecting all heat away
- They turn oxygen into carbon dioxide
Pollutant and problem 🧪
- Sulfur dioxide
- Carbon monoxide
- Particulates
- Carbon dioxide
- Dissolves in rain to make acid rain
- A toxic gas that stops blood carrying oxygen
- Tiny soot particles that cause global dimming
- A greenhouse gas that warms the planet
The atmosphere in words 🧩
The Earth's early atmosphere was mostly carbon dioxide from _____. As the planet cooled, water vapour condensed to form the _____, which dissolved much of the carbon dioxide. Later, _____ by algae and plants released _____. Today the air is about 78% _____.
Spot the true statements 🖍️
An interactive activity.
Human activity and the climate 🧭
An interactive activity.
The changing atmosphere ✍️
An interactive activity.