If the atmosphere did not exist, which outcome would be most likely?

• A. The water on Earth would evaporate, and it would rain all the time.
• B. There would be an increase in meteor strikes.
• C. The composition of the soil would change, and the movement of soil would speed up.
• D. The temperature on Earth would become warmer and change the lakes and rivers.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that Earth’s atmosphere acts as a protective shield that burns up many incoming space rocks as they enter. Without air to slow them or heat them up, more meteoroids would reach the surface, so meteor strikes would increase. The other outcomes rely on atmospheric processes like weather, air pressure, and the greenhouse effect; without an atmosphere those processes don’t operate the way described, so things like rain, wind-driven soil movement, or a simple warming of the planet wouldn’t occur in the way stated. The most immediate and likely consequence of no atmosphere is a rise in meteor impacts.