Respiration Oxygen gas is poisonous to bacteria that causes gangrene.

Human benefits Pure oxygen is used to ensure the complete combustion of different chemicals. Oxygen is used to treat water and cut and weld metals.

 Atmospheric

oxygen -is an important part of the Earth's atmosphere and of the conditions that allow for life on Earth.

Sources

of oxygen: (1.) break up of water vapour through process driven by sunlight - water molecules disassociated

(2.) Photosynthesis - is the process of converting light energy to chemical energy and storing it in the bonds of sugar. - Oxygen is produced by plants and cyanobacteria and phytoplankton in the ocean,. - photosynthesis and aerobic respiration involve the alternate release and utilization of oxygen Aerobic respiration -is a process of cellular respiration that uses oxygen in order to break down molecules -creates a substance known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) * Photosynthesis accounts for 98% of the world's atmospheric oxygen, while the break up of water molecules by ultraviolet radiation composes the other 1-2%.

Nevertheless, at some time in Earths history, the amount of oxygen introduced into the atmosphere had to exceed the amount taken up in respiration and geological processes. Part of the oxygen present in the atmosphere is from the past imbalance between photosynthesis and respiration in plants.

Photosynthesis Requires sunlight Occurs in cells with chlorophyll Uses water Uses carbon dioxide Gets energy from sun Makes sugar Releases oxygen

Respiration Does not need sunlight Occurs in cells Gives off water Releases carbon dioxide Releases energy from sugar Breaks down sugar Uses oxygen

 The

main reservoirs of oxygen cycle:

Water ( H2O ) Carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) Atmosphere Lithosphere

Sources of atmospheric oxygen : Water Vapor break-up

SUNLIGHT

Water molecules are disassociated to produce hydrogen and oxygen

Most of the Hydrogen escapes into space

Exchange Pools
Plants
- Take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and then releases oxygen in the atmosphere through the process of Photosynthesis

The other main source of atmospheric oxygen is photosynthesis, which produces sugars and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water

 Phytoplankton and Cyanobacteria

Weathering processes initiated by organisms can also free oxygen from the lithosphere. Plants and animals extract nutrient minerals from rocks and release oxygen in the process.

Oxygen Cycles

The Oxygen Cycle in the Biosphere

 In the biosphere the main cycles are respiration and photosynthesis.

The Oxygen Cycle in the Hydrosphere

Oxygen in water is known as

dissolved oxygen or DO. DO.

How does oxygen get into water?

1. diffusion from the surrounding air 2. aeration (rapid movement) 3. as a waste product of photosynthesis.

 In nature, oxygen enters water when water runs over rocks and creates tremendous amounts of surface area. The high surface area allows oxygen to transfer from the air into the water very quickly. When the water in a stream enters a pond, microorganisms in the pond begin to metabolize (break down) organic matter, consuming oxygen in the process.

The Oxygen Cycle in the Lithosphere

 The lithosphere mostly fixes oxygen in minerals such as silicates and oxides. Most of the time the process is automatic all it takes is a pure form of an element coming in contact with oxygen such as what happens when iron rusts.
An example of surface weathering chemistry is formation of iron-oxides (rust): 4FeO + O2 2Fe2O3

Marine organisms in the biosphere create calcium carbonate shell material (CaCO3) that is rich in oxygen. When the organism dies its shell is deposited on the shallow sea floor and buried over time to create the limestone rock of the lithosphere.
Weathering processes initiated by organisms can also free oxygen from the lithosphere. Plants and animals extract nutrient minerals from rocks and release oxygen in the process

The Oxygen Cycle in the Atmosphere

 In the atmosphere Oxygen is freed by the process called photolysis. This is when high energy sunlight breaks apart oxygen bearing molecules to produce free oxygen.
One of the most well known photolysis it the ozone cycle. O2 oxygen molecule is broken down to atomic oxygen by the ultra violet radiation of sunlight. This free oxygen then recombines with existing O2 molecules to make O3 or ozone. This cycle is important because it helps to shield the Earth from the majority of harmful ultra violet radiation turning it to harmless heat before it reaches the Earth s surface.

Atmosphere
Net Primary Production Respiration and Decay

Surface Organic Matter

Weathering

Burial

Reduced Constituents of the Crust

Several human activities yield adverse effects to the amount of oxygen in the world. These would include:
o Production of ODS or ozone-depleting substances (i.e. CFCs) o Denudation of forested areas o Pollution and eutrophication

In the past, chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs were used in refridgerants and coolants.

These substances, along with brominated CFCs, undergo photoinduced scission to produce chlorine or bromine free radicals.

e.g. CCl3F

CCl2F. + Cl.

This yields in a deficiency of ozone molecules which are responsible for reflecting off harmful UV radiation.

As a result, photosynthetic organisms and other animals that take part in the CO2-O2 interaction are greatly harmed.

This pressing concern was addressed by the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
 It is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone

layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances believed to be responsible for ozone depletion.

 This unilateral legislative attempt was successful in obtaining

ratification by over 191 countries.

 Because of this, it was quick in gaining motion and ultimately

levelled off or decreased atmospheric ODS content.

Plants, due to their photosynthetic process, contribute much to the production of oxygen gas.

With the increase of forested areas being converted into agricultural, commercial or residential land, the potential photosythetic output of that specific area greatly reduces.

Needless to say, the more trees that are cut down, the slower the overall rate of oxygen synthesis becomes.

This also disrupts the equilibrium of the CO2-O2 interaction

Pollutants in bodies of water also affect the amount of dissolved oxygen. Some of these may include excess amounts of nitrogen and sulfur.

This occurence is called eutrophication, which is an increase in phytoplankton initiated by the addition of artificial or natural substances such as nitrates and phosphates through fertilizers or sewage, to an aquatic system.

As the organisms in the said bloom die, they are acted upon by bacteria and other decomposers. The presence of these decomposers depletes the water of its dissolved oxygen and increases the production of carbon dioxide.

As an adverse effect, hypoxia occurs, which is the depletion of oxygen in the water, which induces reductions in specific fish and other animal populations.