Chapter 1 - Section 1.1 - Geology: The Science of Earth - Graphics 1.1 - Page 7: 1

In absence of an atmosphere and water, Earth would go through substantial changes and become hostile for most forms of life as we know it. Following are the main points. a. Absence of Atmosphere: The atmosphere plays a crucial role in regulating temperature, protecting the Earth's surface from harmful solar radiation, and distributing heat and moisture. Without an atmosphere, several changes would occur: • Extreme Temperature Variations: The lack of an atmosphere means there would be no insulation, resulting in extreme temperature differences between day and night. The surface would become scorching hot during the day and freeze at night. • No Protection from Solar Radiation: The atmosphere shields the Earth's surface from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Without it, the surface would be bombarded by intense UV radiation, making it uninhabitable for most organisms. • No Weather or Climate Systems: The absence of an atmosphere would eliminate weather phenomena such as clouds, rainfall, and winds. The planet would have a static and unchanging surface. b. Absence of Water: Water is essential for the existence of life and forms many geological features. Following are the points that would be caused without water: • No Oceans, Lakes, or Rivers: Earth's surface would lack large bodies of water such as oceans, lakes, and rivers. These features play a vital role in shaping the landscape through erosion, deposition, and weathering. • No Erosion and Weathering: Water is a powerful agent of erosion and weathering. Its absence would halt the processes that sculpt mountains, create valleys, and shape the land. • No Hydrological Cycle: The absence of water would mean the absence of the hydrological cycle, which regulates the movement of water between the atmosphere, land, and oceans. This cycle is crucial for distributing heat and maintaining climatic patterns. It can be concluded that without an atmosphere and water, Earth would become a sterile and barren planet, devoid of life as we know it. The absence of these acute mechanisms would result in extreme temperature variations, intense solar radiation, and a lack of weather and climate systems. Features of The landforms and geological, with what are accustomed with, formed by erosion and enduring procedures driven by water, would terminate to exist.

The atmosphere is made of gases, nitrogen and oxygen. In the first 30 kilometers 90% is intense, but a small number of smidgens linger even 10,000 kilometers above the Earth’s surface.