1-2: Evolution of the Earth's Atmosphere

Pre-Class Preparation

Objectives

• To understand how the composition of the atmosphere evolved to its present state.
• To examine the agents and events that have caused this evolutionary process.

Procedure

1. Read the learning unit.

   Class images

2. Take the learning unit quiz. Quizzes are available from your portfolio. You may access your portfolio via the list of students participating in this years course, as represented by the icon below.
   
   

Class Discussion

• Problem to ponder...
  Earth is the only planet we know of that has life. What role has biological life played in the evolution of the earth's atmosphere?

• Class Discussion Summary:

Post-Class Activities

• Participate in the electronic dialog. Use this forum for:
  • continuing class discussion;
  • posing new questions to students or the instructor;
  • responding to issues/questions raised by students in class/electronic dialog.

  Visitor Access (Visitors are welcome to participate in the dialog. Just click on the icon below)	Student Access (Students must post all dialog from their portfolio. Click on the icon below to access the student list.)

• Recommended Reading Materials

  	Birks, J.W., Calvert, J.G., Sievers, R. E., eds, 1992: The Chemistry of the Atmosphere: Its Impact on Global Change: Chemrawn VII Perspectives and Recommendations, The Agency for International Development, 163 pp.
  	Houghton, J. T., L. G. Meira Filho, B. A. Callander N. Harris, A. Kattenberg, and K. Maskell, 1996: Climate Change 1995. The Science of Climate Change. Cambridge University Press: 57-59.
  	McElroy, M.B., Salawitch, R.J., 1989: Changing composition of the global stratosphere. Science, 243: 763-770.
  	Wayne, Richard P., 1985: Chemistry of the Atmosphere. Oxford Science Publications, 361 pp.

• References

  	Global Change Glossary (J through L)
  	Kasting, James F., 1997: Warming Early Earth and Mars. Science 276: 1213-1215.
  	Sagan, Carl and Christopher Chyba, 1997: The Early Faint Sun Paradox. Science 276, 1217-1221.