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 12RQ
Based on all the geographic and geological evidence, summarize the current view about the past and present habitability of Mars.
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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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- Describe the current atmosphere on Mars. What evidence suggests that it must have been different in the past?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_forwardIs it likely that life ever existed on either Venus or Mars? Justify your answer in each case.arrow_forward
- 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_forwardCompare the current atmospheres of Earth, Venus, and Mars in terms of composition, thickness (and pressure at the surface), and the greenhouse effect.arrow_forwardWhat evidence do we have that there was running (liquid) water on Mars in the past? What evidence is there for water coming out of the ground even today?arrow_forward
- Suppose 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_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_forwardSummarize the origin and evolution of the atmospheres of Venus, Earth, and Mars.arrow_forward
- The principle cause of our intense interest in Mars in the decades before the dawn of the space age was that Answers: A. a few astronomers believed that they saw evidence of an intelligent civilization on Mars. B. Mars has seasons just like the Earth and therefore should be inhabitable by humans. C. Mars has an unusual surface color and global dust storms, creating strange weather patterns. D. Mars has unusual orbital properties making our understanding of its motion around the Sun very difficult.arrow_forwardWhy doesn't Mars have active volcanoes today? A) all of the lava already escaped B) the planet lost its internal heat to cold space C) the volcanoes are just dormant and will erupt againarrow_forwardActivity #1. Compare and Contrast. Similarities and differences of Venus, Earth and Mars. Do this on a separate sheet of paper. 1. Compare and contrast the three (3) terrestrial planets using table 1. 2. Provide explanations for your observations using table 2. 3. Answer the following guide questions. Guide questions: 1. Does planet size affect gravity? 2. Why do you think Venus has the highest mean temperature among the three planets? 3. Is presence of water a primary factor for a planet to sustain life? Why or why not? 4. Based on your observations using table 2, what are the notable features that makes the earth the only habitable planet among the three terrestrial planets? 5. What conclusions can you make?arrow_forward
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