Gases in the Atmosphere

Vocabulary flashcards comparing the composition of the early and modern atmosphere, key gases, Earth's age, and the reason for the Moon's lack of atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide in the early atmosphere

Composed the vast majority of the early atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide in the modern atmosphere

Makes up $0.04\%$ of the modern atmosphere.

Nitrogen in the modern atmosphere

Makes up $78\%$ of the modern atmosphere.

Oxygen in the early atmosphere

Present in little to no amounts in the early atmosphere.

Oxygen in the modern atmosphere

Makes up $21\%$ of the modern atmosphere.

Water vapour in the early atmosphere

Present in lots/large quantities in the early atmosphere.

Water vapour in the modern atmosphere

Present as a trace gas in the modern atmosphere.

Other gases in the atmosphere

Present in trace amounts in both the early and modern atmospheres.

Volcanic activity

The cause of the formation of the early atmosphere.

Age of Earth

$$4.6\text{ billion years old}$$

Moon's lack of atmosphere

The moon has no atmosphere due to having no gravitational pull to withhold an atmosphere.