Birth of Earth - approximately 4600 million years ago

The Hadean Period (4600 m.y. - 3800 m.y.)

While we don't know exactly how the Earth was formed, we have some really good evidence to support the following hypothesis: The Earth began as part of the accretion of the solar system. The formation of the planets (including Earth), asteroids, meteors, comets and the central sun - formed through the tendency of matter to clump together, until finally there were substantial bodies, the planets and their moons, sweeping up all the 'left-over' bits in their orbits. Studies of the Moon's surface show that in its early history it was subjected to bombardment by giant meteorites. Earth's early history must have been even more violent because of the greater gravitational forces involved. None of those early bombardments can be seen today, as they have been transformed by Earth's erosional forces. Most of the meteorite craters which are evident on Earth are much younger.

This was the so-called "Hadean Period" from 4600 - 3800 million years ago. During this period the heavier molten iron sank to the middle of the newly forming Earth, to become the core. The lighter material rose to the surface, the lightest of all becoming the crust on the surface. There was also an outgassing of volatile molecules such as water, methane, ammonia, hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide, which formed the early atmosphere of the Earth. The initial steam atmosphere was made of water from comets and hydrated minerals from volcanic eruptions. Rain fell into proto-ocean about 4300 to 4400 million years ago. All terrestrial planets are thought to have had a similar process in their early histories.

Birth of Earth - approximately 4600 million years ago - The Hadean Period (4600 m.y. - 3800 m.y.) The Evolution of Life
Evolution for teaching
School of science and engineering
The University of Waikato, New Zealand
http://sci.waikato.ac.nz/

"Earth’s Earliest Atmospheres"

“The first atmosphere would have consisted of gases in the solar nebula, primarily hydrogen. In addition there would probably have been simple hydrides such as are now found in gas-giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn, notably water vapor, methane and ammonia. As the solar nebula dissipated these gases would have escaped, partly driven off by the solar wind”

^ a b Zahnle, K.; Schaefer, L.; Fegley, B. (2010).

“Earth’s Earliest Atmospheres”. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology 2 (10): a004895.

iBlob Earth Atmosphere

Objective: Learn Earth´s geological ages using Blob our story character.

Time and Place: Earth - approximately 4300 million years ago - The Hadean Period (4600 m.y. - 3800 m.y.)

Instructions: At this stage you must cause chemical reactions with solar wind and help forming the planet´s atmosphere.

Mouse move iBlob and fire photons which dissociate water vapor into oxygen and helium and avoid being hit by any moving elements