coditions for life on earth key words

archea

icroorganisms similar to bacteria, including the first life-forms to develop on Earth. Archaea are the only organisms that produce methane from the decompositionof organic matter. Some also developed the ability to carry out photosynthesis and so created our oxygen-rich atmosphere

dynamic equilibrium

a balance created by active processes whose impacts cancel each other out

proxy data

the use of data that can be collected to predict the values of a related factor that cant be measured

- example of proxy data tree rings

insolation

sunlight that reaches a particular location

earths magnetosphere

the magnetic field around earth which deflects charged particles travelling from the sun

ozone

produced in the atmosphere by a series of reactions

ozone absorbs some UV light making life on earths surface possible

photosynthesis

processes complted by plants.

co2 and glucose is absorbed and water and o2 are the waste product of this process

carbon sequestation

any process which removes carbon from the atmosphere such as afforestation

photoautroph

an organism that produces high energy food substances using sunlight in photosynthesis

transpiration

The loss of water vapour from the leaves of plants. This process is crucial for moderating air temperatures and maintaining the hydrological cycle.

axis of rotation

he angle of the earth’s axis produces seasonal changes in temperatures and light levels over a year

presence of liquid water

iquid water moderates planetary temperatures by reducing temperature extremes due to its high specific heat capacity.

speed of rotation

One rotation on its axis takes one day. the 24 hour day and night cycle controls the amount of insolation and reduces the temperature range.

earth orbit

the movement of the earth around the Sun. One complete orbit takes a year.The regular nature of the earth’s orbit around the Sun stabilizes insolation and reduces temperature changes

anomalous expansion on freezing

as water cools it gets denser. Water is most dense at 4 ˚C, then gets less dense as it cools to 0 ˚C and turns to solid ice which then floats. This insulates the body of water from further cooling.

high specific heat capacity

water molecules are held together by hydrogen bonds which means water heats up and cools down slowly. This helps moderate temperature changes in a bodyof water and the lithosphere and atmosphere in contact with it

biogeochemical cycles

physical and biological processes that enable the cycling of essential elements, therefore life could be sustained over long periods of time without resources becoming depleted.

albedo

The reflective nature of the surface of the earth that determines how much sunlight energy is absorbed