Talk:Planet 4546B/@comment-68.42.118.52-20161105004838/@comment-68.42.118.52-20170429023013

@Fandom User: How do the planet provide oxygen? You are right that 4546b has plants that convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, but there must have been a time when plants weren't around on the planet. In this case, there are three ways you can create oxygen on Planet 4546b.

The first way is through Oxygenic Photosynthesis, which is a chemical reaction caused by sunlight. Carbon dioxide in the water combines with sunlight to triggers a chemical reaction that creates glucose and dioxygen. Since Planet 4546b is a ocean world, this chemical reaction could've happened constantly until its volcanic activity created the amino acids needed to generate plant life to produce the rest.

The second way is through electrolysis, aka water splitting. Electrolysis is the chemical process of using electricity to energize water molecules to the point where they split into hydrogen and oxygen. Frequent lightning storms on 4546b could make this possible, but it would've taken millions of years for the oxygen to accumulate into a breathable atmosphere.

The third way is thermolysis, which is water splitting using extreme heat. Since 4546b is extremely volcanic, it could be possible that the planet's lava zones generate constant amounts of hydrogen and oxygen that gets pushed out through the various lava geysers. This process is endothermic, which draws in energy from the surrounding environment. (this may explain why the Lost River is so cold despite being right next to it) However, if this process becomes exothermic, such as the Inactive Lava Zone becoming active, a positive feedback loop with occur and generate a thermal runaway. This will cause both lava zones to become hyperactive, which makes them even hotter, which causes more thermolysis, which makes the lava zones EVEN HOTTER until the end result is a cataclysmic eruption.