You Can Know You Have Eternal Life
#6 Marvelous Design implies a Marvelous Designer
(3)
The Earths atmosphere - Chance or Design?
by Jim Mettenbrink
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Two unique factors that support
life on earth are the earths surface conditions
and the atmosphere. In the previous article we briefly
considered some of the surface conditions which reflect marvelous
design. Now we will look at a few atmospheric conditions
that make the earth unlike any other planet one that sustains
life.
The earths atmosphere is
made up primarily of four gases (Nitrogen - 78%, Oxygen 21%,
Argon less than 1% and carbon dioxide -.03%). Nitrogen and Argon
are relatively inactive gases, thus difficult to combine with
other gases or to form material compounds. This is a safeguard,
e.g. if nitrogen could readily combine with oxygen, the oceans
would be filled with nitric acid. On the other hand, oxygen
and carbon dioxide are reactive with other gases, organic compounds
and even rocks, thereby supporting life.
The amount of oxygen in our air
is at the optimum level. If we had more oxygen, combustion
would occur more energetically, rocks and metals would oxidize
faster, and life itself would be adversely affected. If
there was less oxygen, breathing would be more difficult and
there would be less ozone in the upper atmosphere to shield the
earths surface from ultraviolet rays. Oxygen is vital
to human and animal life, but carbon dioxide is the essential
atmospheric element for plants.
Carbon dioxide makes up only 3/100
of 1% of the atmosphere is also vital to our existence. If
there was less carbon dioxide, plant life would decrease (thus
less food for animals and humans), oceans would become more acidic
and the climate colder (carbon dioxide and water vapor affects
the incoming and outgoing heat of the earth). Although
more carbon dioxide would cause plant life to flourish, just
an increase to 15/100 of 1% would increase the earths temperature
by 10s of degrees. That would accelerate the weathering
of the continents and cause an alkali condition in the oceans
that would be unfavorable for life. In contrast the current
level of carbon dioxide mixes with water to form an acid which
dissolves rocks, thus adding bicarbonate to the ocean which reduces
acidity.
The total density or pressure of
our atmosphere is ideal to support life. The density acts
as an insulator protecting the earth from the coldness of space.
If the earth had a greater diameter, holding a more dense
atmosphere, the insulating effect would produce a much warmer
climate. If the earth had a smaller diameter, holding a
less dense atmosphere, the climate would be colder.
Our atmosphere has both the correct
composition and density to support life. How does one explain
that the earth, with an atmosphere of the right density in relation
to its size, has the right temperatures to support life?
Further, if the earth came from
the same Big Bang gases as the other planets why does only the
earth have such an intricate balance to support life? Chance
or design? A reasonable person concludes this is by design,
thus there must be a marvelous intelligent designer and orderly
maker!
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