Earth’s troposphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere contain relatively large amounts of which element?
Oxygen
oxygen
oxygen
oxygen
oxygen
oxygen
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To determine which element is relatively abundant in the Earth's troposphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere, we need to consider the compositions of these Earth systems.
1. Troposphere: The troposphere is the lowest layer of the Earth's atmosphere, extending from the surface up to an altitude of about 8-15 kilometers. It contains the majority of the Earth's air mass and weather phenomena. However, in terms of elemental composition, the troposphere mainly consists of nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2), argon (Ar), and trace amounts of other gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor (H2O).
2. Hydrosphere: The hydrosphere refers to all the Earth's waters, including oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, groundwater, and atmospheric water. Therefore, the hydrosphere contains various elements dissolved or suspended in water. The most abundant element in the hydrosphere is hydrogen (H), primarily in the form of water (H2O). However, the most conspicuous element found in large quantities in the Earth's oceans is sodium (Na), in the form of dissolved sodium chloride (salt).
3. Lithosphere: The lithosphere represents the solid outer layer of the Earth, encompassing the Earth's crust and the uppermost part of the mantle. The lithosphere consists of various minerals and rocks. The most abundant element in the Earth's lithosphere is oxygen (O), present mostly in the form of silicates, such as the mineral quartz (SiO2). Another significant element in the lithosphere is silicon (Si), found in various rock-forming minerals.
Considering the relative abundances of elements in the Earth's troposphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere, the element that is found in relatively large amounts in all these Earth systems is oxygen (O). Oxygen makes up a significant proportion of the Earth's atmosphere, water, and solid crust.
Therefore, the answer to the question is oxygen (O).