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Atoms and Elements
Elements and the Planet Earth
Air: Elements in the Atmosphere
• The term atmosphere refers to the
gaseous envelope surrounding a planet.
• There are four elements in our
atmosphere.
– Nitrogen – 78.03%
– Oxygen – 20.99%
– Argon – 0.94%
– Carbon Dioxide – 0.04%
Air Cont.
• Three of the gases go through cycles that
we have studied before. They are:
• Photosynthesis
• Respiration
• Dry air does not contain moisture but most
of the air on this planet has some trace
amounts of moisture in it therefore there
are trace amounts of hydrogen in our
atmosphere.
Water: Elements in the
Hydrosphere
• Earth is covered mostly in water. The planet is
sometimes referred to as the “big blue marble”
because of its appearance from space.
• All of the water on the surface of the planet is
referred to as the hydrosphere, a nearly
continuous layer of water lying on or just under
the surface of the Earth’s crust.
• Water in its pure sense is H2O but most water
found is not often pure. It usually contains other
dissolved substances.
Earth: Elements in the Crust
• The crust is the outermost layer of solid
rock on our planet.
• Oxygen is the most abundant element in
the crust of our atmosphere.
– The most common elements in the crust of
the earth in order are:
• Oxygen, silicone, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium,
potassium and magnesium.
Earth: Cont.
• There are very few elements including
gold, silver, platinum and copper that exist
in nature uncombined with other elements.
• Most elements react in differing degrees.
• How strongly an element reacts is known
as its reactivity.