Life in the Universe (4th Edition)
4th Edition
ISBN: 9780134089089
Author: Jeffrey O. Bennett, Seth Shostak
Publisher: PEARSON
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Textbook Question
Chapter 8, Problem 10RQ
What is the leading hypothesis concerning how Mars lost its once-thick atmosphere? What role does Mars’s size play in this hypothesis?
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Chapter 8 Solutions
Life in the Universe (4th Edition)
Ch. 8 - Briefly summarize the evidence, both real and...Ch. 8 - What would it be like to walk on Mars today?...Ch. 8 - Why isnt liquid water stable at the martian...Ch. 8 - How do martian seasons differ from Earth seasons?...Ch. 8 - Give a brief overview of the geography and major...Ch. 8 - How do we know that different regions of the...Ch. 8 - Summarize the evidence suggesting that Mars must...Ch. 8 - What evidence suggests that water might still flow...Ch. 8 - Why do we conclude that Mars must once have had a...Ch. 8 - What is the leading hypothesis concerning how Mars...
Ch. 8 - How and why does Marss axis tilt change with time,...Ch. 8 - Based on all the geographic and geological...Ch. 8 - Briefly summarize the Viking experiments and their...Ch. 8 - What is the potential significance of atmospheric...Ch. 8 - Briefly summarize plans for Mars exploration over...Ch. 8 - Discuss the issue of biological contamination in...Ch. 8 - Summarize the scientific pros and cons of sending...Ch. 8 - What do we mean by terraforming Mars? Is it...Ch. 8 - How do we know that ALH84001 really came from...Ch. 8 - Briefly summarize the possible evidence of past...Ch. 8 - The first human explorers on Mars discover that...Ch. 8 - We discover a string of active volcanoes in the...Ch. 8 - We find underground pools of water on the slopes...Ch. 8 - We discover that Mars was subjected to global,...Ch. 8 - A future orbiter finds a plume of volcanic gas...Ch. 8 - We find a lake of liquid water filling a small...Ch. 8 - The first fossils discovered on Mars come from the...Ch. 8 - A sample return mission finds fossil evidence not...Ch. 8 - We discover that the martian polar caps have in...Ch. 8 - We find rocks on Mars showing clearly that the...Ch. 8 - When we say that liquid water is unstable on Mars,...Ch. 8 - Marss seasonal winds are driven primarily by (a)...Ch. 8 - Olympus Mons is (a) a giant volcano; (b) a huge...Ch. 8 - We can recognize the oldest surface regions of...Ch. 8 - Minerals in surface rock studied by the martian...Ch. 8 - Rivers on Mars (a) have never existed; (b) existed...Ch. 8 - Which must be true if Mars was warmer and wetter...Ch. 8 - Which of the following fundamental properties of...Ch. 8 - According to the leading hypothesis, if Mars once...Ch. 8 - The Viking experiments found (a) no evidence of...Ch. 8 - The Role of the Martians. Percival Lowell may have...Ch. 8 - Learning from Past Mistakes. The Viking missions...Ch. 8 - Hold Your Breath. If you held your breath, would...Ch. 8 - Miniature Mars. Suppose Mars were significantly...Ch. 8 - Larger Mars. Suppose Mars were significantly...Ch. 8 - Civilization on Mars. Based on what we can see on...Ch. 8 - Martian Fossil Hunting. On Earth, we cannot find...Ch. 8 - Future Landing Site. Suppose you were in charge of...Ch. 8 - Terraforming Mars. Make a list of the pros and...Ch. 8 - Mars Movie Review. Watch one of the many science...Ch. 8 - Interior Heat. Compare the surface areatovolume...Ch. 8 - Atmospheric Mass of Earth. What is the total mass...Ch. 8 - Atmospheric Mass of Mars. The weaker gravity of...Ch. 8 - Past Gas on Mars. Models suggest that Mars today...Ch. 8 - Lessons from Mars. Discuss the nature of the...Ch. 8 - Human Exploration of Mars. Should we send humans...Ch. 8 - Current Mars Missions. Pick one of the Mars...Ch. 8 - Future Mars Missions. Pick one of the Mars...
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- One source of information about Mars has been the analysis of meteorites from Mars. Since no samples from Mars have ever been returned to Earth from any of the missions we sent there, how do we know these meteorites are from Mars? What information have they revealed about Mars?arrow_forwardWhat is the runaway greenhouse effect, and how might it have altered the climate of Venus?arrow_forwardHow are todays atmospheres of Venus and Mars similar? How are they different?arrow_forward
- Is it likely that life ever existed on either Venus or Mars? Justify your answer in each case.arrow_forwardIf the Viking missions were such a rich source of information about Mars, why have we sent the Pathfinder, Global Surveyor, and other more recent spacecraft to Mars? Make a list of questions about Mars that still puzzle astronomers.arrow_forwardCompare the current atmospheres of Earth, Venus, and Mars in terms of composition, thickness (and pressure at the surface), and the greenhouse effect.arrow_forward
- What were the canals on Mars eventually found to be? How do they differ from the outflow channels and valley networks on Mars?arrow_forwardWhy do small planets cool faster than large planets? Choose any two of the five Terrestrial worlds and calculate for each one the ratio of its surface area to its volume. Why is this ratio important? (Hint: Does this ratio have anything to do with the ability of a planet to lose internal heat?) (Note: The surface area of a sphere is 4r2, and the volume of a sphere is 43r3.)arrow_forwardSuppose that, decades from now, NASA is considering sending astronauts to Mars and Venus. In each case, describe what kind of protective gear they would have to carry, and what their chances for survival would be if their spacesuits ruptured.arrow_forward
- How might Venus’ atmosphere have evolved to its present state through a runaway greenhouse effect?arrow_forwardWhat does a planet need in order to retain an atmosphere? How does an atmosphere affect the surface of a planet and the ability of life to exist?arrow_forwardWe believe that all of the terrestrial planets had similar histories when it comes to impacts from space. Explain how this idea can be used to date the formation of the martian highlands, the martian basins, and the Tharsis volcanoes. How certain are the ages derived for these features (in other words, how do we check the ages we derive from this method)?arrow_forward
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