Which of the following gases was not believed to be present on earth at the time of its formation 4.6 billion years ago? a. oxygen c. water vapor b. nitrogen d. methane

a. oxygen

Explanation:

If you could build a time machine and go back to Earth's distant past, you would have an unpleasant surprise: you wouldn't be able to breathe. Without the help of equipment, you would suffocate in a matter of minutes.

That's because during the first half of our planet's life there was no oxygen in the atmosphere. The gas so fundamental to life as we know it came about only 2.4 billion years ago.

The "Great Oxidation Event" was one of the most important things to happen on this planet. Without it, there could never be animals breathing oxygen, such as insects, fish and certainly humans.

Good afternoon, Lycasey16. Thermal pollution is a real thing because whenever we heat water, the dissolved oxygen decreases. Dissolved oxygen is how you can tell how healthy the water is for the aquatic animals. Too little dissolved oxygen will result in death of many organisms. Same thing with thermal (water) pollution. If you heat the water too much, dissolved oxygen will decrease which will kill many marine life. Thermal pollution is one of many that causes the water to become polluted. I hope this helps, have a great day.