Life in the Universe (4th Edition)
4th Edition
ISBN: 9780134089089
Author: Jeffrey O. Bennett, Seth Shostak
Publisher: PEARSON
expand_more
expand_more
format_list_bulleted
Textbook Question
Chapter 8, Problem 59IF
Human Exploration of Mars. Should we send humans to Mars? If so, when? How much would you be willing to see spent on such a mission? Would you volunteer to go yourself? Discuss these questions with your classmates, and try to form a class consensus regarding the desirability and nature of a human mission to Mars.
Expert Solution & Answer
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solutionStudents have asked these similar questions
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.
CO2 and planetary warming: understanding Earth’s complicated atmosphere Mars has an atmospheric pressure of 6 mbar (compared with Earth atmosphere pressure of 1013 mbar), 96% of which is CO2. The average calculated temperature of Mars is -57°C, whereas the actual average temperature is -55°C so that the amount of warming due to CO2 is only 2°C. On the other hand, the average calculated temperature of Earth, with 0.4 mbar of CO2, is -19°C, whereas the actual average temperature is 15°C so that the amount of warming due to CO2 is 34°C, much greater than that on Mars, which has higher CO2 concentration. Explain how this is possible.
Activity #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?
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...
Additional Science Textbook Solutions
Find more solutions based on key concepts
The angle of the first three principal maxima above the central fringe.
Physics (5th Edition)
28. A boy reaches out of a window and tosses a ball straight up with a speed of 10 m/s. The ball is 20 m above ...
College Physics: A Strategic Approach (3rd Edition)
Why is the anterior pituitary sometimes called the master gland?
Conceptual Integrated Science
2.47 A 15-kg rock is dropped from rest on the earth and reaches the ground in 1.75 s. When it is dropped from t...
University Physics with Modern Physics (14th Edition)
How is it possible to have boiling water at a temperature other than 100C?
Essential University Physics (3rd Edition)
66. Astronauts use a centrifuge to simulate the acceleration of a rocket launch. The centrifuge takes 30 s to...
Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach, Vol. 1 (Chs 1-21) (4th Edition)
Knowledge Booster
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, physics and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.Similar questions
- 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_forwardDescribe the current atmosphere on Mars. What evidence suggests that it must have been different in the past?arrow_forwardOne 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_forward
- When Mars is 90 million km from Earth, a) How long would it take for a radio wave from a video camera mounted on the back of a Mars Rover to tell ground control on earth that the Rover is about to go over a cliff? b) How long would it take for a radio signal from Earth to reach the Rover saying "STOP". c) Why do our Mars Rovers have to be "intelligent" enough to figure out how to deal with obstacles themselves?arrow_forwardWhat is one of the Mars missions that is currently operating and write about the mission’s history, goals, and accomplishments to date.arrow_forwardThe gravity on Mars is about 38% that of Earth's gravity. Let's say some cargo has a mass of 15 kg here on Earth. First, what would be the weight of that cargo in kilograms on Mars? Explain your answer. Second, what would be the mass of that cargo in kilograms on Mars? Explain your answer.arrow_forward
- Evidence exists that Mars may have had oceans 0.500 km deep in its early history. We don't know what the atmospheric pressure on Mars was back then, but some studies suggest it may have been as high as 50,000 Pa. What would have been the highest pressure at the bottom of these oceans? Density of water is 1000 kg/m³, gmars = 3.71 m/s².arrow_forwardFor which of the following reasons (select all that apply), is it useful/important to send rovers to other planetary bodies in our solar system? O a. The engineering innovations developed to produce successful/viable rovers and landers on other planets can help lead to developments in the technology used here on Earth that may have taken far more time to develop without the limitations provided by space travel to foreign worlds. O b. The data collected can help improve our understanding of the evolution/development of our solar system. O. Rovers/landers can be outfitted with various tools and equipment that can be used to inform of us of the geological histories of each of the planets they visit. O d. More direct probes of the planetary surface are possible to detect signs of the building blocks of life. O e. Rock samples can be used to calibrate our estimations of the age of the solar system.arrow_forwardLearn about current and planned missions to study a terrestrial planet's atmosphere (including Earth). Write a one-page essay describing the mission and the lessons learned.arrow_forward
- Learn about an ongoing or upcoming expedition to investigate the atmosphere of one of the terrestrial planets (including Earth). Write a one-page essay outlining the mission and the lessons we want to gain fromștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiștiiarrow_forwardNASA's analysis of meteorites and dust accumulated in the Earth's ice sheets, as well as of dust and sand particles collected from the space shuttle heat shields, suggest that which of the following amounts (to the closest order of magnitude) of Mars-derived space debris come to Earth each year? Select one: a. grams/year O b. kilos/year Oc. 10's of kilos/year O d. metric tonnes/year O e. None of the other options are correct.arrow_forwardWhich of the following planetary traits is well established? choose one of the following: a) Mercury has a similar compositon to that of our moon, in that they both have a substantial metal content. b) Venus rotates more rapidly than Earth, but in the opposite direction. c) Earth's atmosphere exhibits a slightly stronger greenhouse effect than that seen on Venus. d)Astronomers have precisely calculated the mass of Mercury thanks to artificial satellites sent from Earth.arrow_forward
arrow_back_ios
SEE MORE QUESTIONS
arrow_forward_ios
Recommended textbooks for you
- AstronomyPhysicsISBN:9781938168284Author:Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. WolffPublisher:OpenStaxFoundations of Astronomy (MindTap Course List)PhysicsISBN:9781337399920Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana BackmanPublisher:Cengage Learning
Astronomy
Physics
ISBN:9781938168284
Author:Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. Wolff
Publisher:OpenStax
Foundations of Astronomy (MindTap Course List)
Physics
ISBN:9781337399920
Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Kepler's Three Laws Explained; Author: PhysicsHigh;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyR6EO_RMKE;License: Standard YouTube License, CC-BY