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Earth before Life
After reading the article “Earth before Life,” the concepts that were addressed in the featured segment were how the atmosphere was developed and how the earth was formed. These concepts addressed the beginning of evolution and the adjustments to its surrounding. The article states “Chemical reactions and Physical processes on the early Earth created an environment that made life possible. And life, once it began, transformed the planet’s chemistry. Biological and geologic histories are inseparable.”
Earth, a giant ball of hot gases, rocks and dust, went through a period of catastrophic and intense formation approximately 4.5 billon years ago. This was caused by particles of gases being drawn together and compressed, giving off a large amount of heat. Finally the earth cooled down enough for water vapor to condense and form liquid water. Rain fell from the sky for millions of years and covered most of the Earth with oceans and lakes. The oceans contained chemicals called nucleotides and amino acids that existed in little blobs surrounded by a membrane. These blobs are called microspheres and were not real cells but they were able to replicate themselves and reproduce. Energy from the sun and from lightning produced chemical reactions in the air that formed very complex molecules like nucleotides and amino acids. These are the building blocks of DNA (genes). Later pressure and heat in its center pushed up solid portions of the earth that became land forms. Sometimes the land would sink back down and other portions arise.
Earth before life was completely different from what humankind knows today. The volcanic activity, lighting, and radiation were more severe, it was inhabitable. The atmospheres development helped in making the world what it is today. The torrential rains cooled the earth’s early atmospheric surface and later formed lakes, seas and oceans. This formation provided the earth with various...