The oxygen content in the atmosphere of early Earth is thought to have increased significantly once which of these developed?
Answer (3)
Oxygen content increased after photosynthetic algae developed.
The algae is able to use solar energy, water, and carbon dioxide to synthesize sugars for its own energy. During the process, oxygen is released as a byproduct.
The oxygen content in the atmosphere of the early Earth is thought to have increased significantly once photosynthesis developed, specifically through organisms such as cyanobacteria. These organisms started the Great Oxidation Event, contributing to the oxygenation of Earth's atmosphere. As cyanobacteria and other photosynthetic organisms proliferated, they released oxygen through photosynthesis, fundamentally altering the atmospheric composition.
Initially, the Earth's atmosphere was anoxic, without molecular oxygen, supporting only anaerobic organisms. The advent of phototrophic life forms capable of photosynthesis, particularly the cyanobacteria, allowed for the accumulation of oxygen in the atmosphere. This oxygenation enabled the development of more efficient oxygen-utilizing metabolic pathways, the formation of the ozone layer which protected living organisms from UV radiation, and ultimately paved the way for the emergence and diversification of more complex life forms.
The oxygen content in early Earth's atmosphere significantly increased due to the development of photosynthesis by cyanobacteria around 3 billion years ago. This led to the Great Oxidation Event, which allowed for the evolution of aerobic organisms and created conditions for complex life forms. Cyanobacteria were essential in transforming the atmosphere and supporting a wider range of life on Earth.
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