Homework 10 Venus and Mars
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Science 105
Homework #10
Venus and Mars
Define the following
1.
Coronae – Depressed of raised circular features sometimes flooded with lava. These are
sites of upwelling in the mantel that has reached the surface and broken through the crust.
2.
Retrograde rotation – Spinning on its axis from East to West, or clockwise as seen from the
North pole.
3.
Prograde rotation – Spinning on the axis from West to East, or counter-clockwise as seen
from the North pole.
4.
Greenhouse effect - The greenhouse effect is a process that occurs when gases in Earth's
atmosphere trap the Sun's heat.
5.
Spin – Orbit – Coupling – The ratio of the rotation of a body to its orbital period.
6.
Retrograde Orbit – Orbiting a planet in the opposite direction as the planet’s rotation.
7.
Prograde Orbit – Orbiting a planet in the same direction as the planet’s rotation.
8.
Permafrost – Semi-permanent underground ice.
Answer the following questions.
All questions must be answered in full sentences or full
credit will not be given.
Any question that has math associated with it you must show all
work on your answers or full credit will not be given (just giving a number as an answer
does not tell me that you know where the number came from).
Note:
A full sentence
completely repeats or restates the question within the answer.
9.
Propose an explanation for the nearly pure CO
2
atmospheres of Venus and Mars.
Why
is the Earth’s atmosphere different? –
Venus: Runaway Greenhouse Effect: Venus likely
experienced a runaway greenhouse effect in its past. As the Sun's radiation increased,
any water vapor in Venus' early atmosphere could have vaporized. Water vapor is an
effective greenhouse gas, and the loss of water could have led to a positive feedback loop,
causing temperatures to rise significantly. This process would have resulted in the loss of
water and the accumulation of a thick atmosphere dominated by carbon dioxide. Mars:
Loss of Atmosphere: Mars is smaller and less massive than Earth, which means it has
weaker gravity. Over time, Mars lost a significant portion of its original atmosphere to
space due to its weaker gravitational pull. The loss was likely facilitated by factors such
as the planet's smaller size, the absence of a global magnetic field, and the impact of solar
wind stripping away lighter gases. Earth: Active Geological Processes: Earth has been
more geologically active than Venus and Mars. The presence of oceans and the
continuous cycling of carbon through processes like weathering, erosion, and subduction
have played crucial roles. Plate tectonics and the carbon-silicate cycle help regulate the
amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Weathering of rocks consumes CO2, and subduction
of oceanic plates recycles carbon back into the mantle. In summary, the different
atmospheric compositions of Venus, Mars, and Earth are the result of their unique
planetary histories, geological processes, and the presence or absence of factors such as a
runaway greenhouse effect, atmospheric loss.
10.
Why are Phobos and Deimos non-spherical?
Why is the Earth’s moon spherical? -
The
shapes of celestial bodies, including moons, are influenced by their formation and the
gravitational forces acting upon them. Phobos and Deimos: Capture Hypothesis: It is
widely believed that both Phobos and Deimos were captured asteroids or objects from
the Kuiper Belt or the asteroid belt, rather than forming in orbit around Mars. Their
irregular shapes suggest a lack of sufficient self-gravity to pull themselves into a more
spherical form. Size and Gravity: Phobos and Deimos are relatively small and have
low gravitational forces. Their irregular shapes may be a result of a combination of
their small sizes and the tidal forces exerted by Mars, which can distort their shapes.
Earth’s Moon: Formation in Orbit: The Earth's Moon likely formed through a giant
impact event, where a Mars-sized object collided with the early Earth, and the debris
from this collision eventually coalesced to form the Moon. This process led to the
Moon having sufficient self-gravity to pull itself into a more spherical shape. In
summary, Phobos and Deimos likely have irregular shapes due to their capture
origins and relatively small sizes, which resulted in insufficient self-gravity to pull
them into spherical forms. In contrast, the Moon formed in orbit around the Earth,
allowing it to achieve a more spherical shape through the processes of gravitational
attraction and surface tension.
11.
What is the greenhouse effect, and what role does it play in the atmosphere of Venus? -
The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon that occurs when certain gases in a
planet's atmosphere trap and re-radiate infrared radiation. Venus experiences an
extreme greenhouse effect that has led to a runaway greenhouse effect, making it one
of the hottest planets in our solar system. The greenhouse effect on Venus is an
extreme case of a runaway greenhouse effect due to its thick atmosphere primarily
composed of carbon dioxide, creating an inhospitable environment with scorching
temperatures. This contrasts with Earth, where the greenhouse effect is crucial for
maintaining a habitable temperature range.
12.
Why is it hotter on Venus than Mercury? -
Venus is hotter than Mercury because of its
thick atmosphere, primarily composed of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, which
creates a strong greenhouse effect and traps heat, leading to higher surface
temperatures on Venus despite its greater distance from the Sun.
13.
Why does the atmosphere of Venus appear reddish in color?
Why does Mars’ atmosphere
appear red? -
The reddish appearance of the atmospheres of Venus and Mars is
primarily due to the scattering of sunlight by particles in their atmospheres, as well as
the presence of specific chemicals. The reddish color of Venus' atmosphere is likely a
result of Rayleigh scattering, similar to the way Earth's atmosphere scatters sunlight.
The sulfuric acid clouds in Venus' atmosphere can also contribute to the reddish color
by selectively absorbing and scattering certain wavelengths of light. The reddish color
of Mars' atmosphere is primarily due to the presence of fine dust particles in the
atmosphere. These particles scatter sunlight, and because they are rich in iron oxide
(rust), they impart a reddish hue to the scattered light. The iron oxide in the Martian
soil, prevalent in the form of dust, reflects and scatters sunlight in a way that
emphasizes the red part of the spectrum, contributing to the overall reddish
appearance of the Martian atmosphere.
14.
Compare the volcanoes, in terms of height above the surface of the planet on Venus, Earth
and Mars? –
Venus: On Venus, the highest volcanic feature is Ovda Regio. This is not a
single volcano but rather a region of highland that includes large shield volcanoes.
The individual volcanoes on Venus, including those in Ovda Regio, can reach
elevations of several kilometers, but exact measurements are challenging due to the
planet's thick atmosphere. Earth: Earth's tallest volcano is Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
While its summit is above sea level, much of its mass is underwater. When measured
from its base on the ocean floor, Mauna Kea is over 10,000 meters (33,500 feet) tall,
making it significantly taller than Mount Everest. Mars: Mars has the tallest volcano
in the solar system—Olympus Mons. Olympus Mons is a shield volcano with a height
of about 21.9 kilometers (13.6 miles) above the Martian surface. It has a much larger
diameter and volume than any volcano on Earth. In summary, the heights of
volcanoes on Venus, Earth, and Mars vary. Venus has shield volcanoes with heights in
the range of several kilometers. Earth has a diverse range of volcanic types with
varying heights, and the tallest volcano, when measured from its base, is Mauna Kea.
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Mars boasts Olympus Mons, the tallest volcano in the solar system, with a height of
about 21.9 kilometers above the Martian surface.
Extra Credit
1.
Why is there so much carbon dioxide in Venus’ atmosphere while very little of this gas is in the
earth’s atmosphere? -
Venus has an extremely thick atmosphere, about 96.5% composed of
carbon dioxide. The high concentration of CO2 is a result of a runaway greenhouse
effect. Earth's atmosphere contains only about 0.04% carbon dioxide. Earth's active
geological processes, including the carbon-silicate cycle, help regulate the levels of
atmospheric CO2. Weathering of rocks consumes CO2, and subduction of oceanic plates
recycles carbon back into the mantle. The high concentration of carbon dioxide in Venus'
atmosphere is a result of a runaway greenhouse effect in its history. On Earth, the
presence of life, active geological processes, and the carbon-silicate cycle have
contributed to a more moderate concentration of carbon dioxide, allowing for a climate
conducive to a wide range of life forms.
2.
How long do radio signal take to travel from the Earth to Venus when Venus is at its nearest
distance to the Earth? -
The time it takes for a radio signal to travel from Earth to Venus (or
vice versa) depends on the distance between the two planets, as their positions in their orbits
are constantly changing. On average, Venus is about 41 million kilometers (25 million miles)
away from Earth. However, during its closest approach to Earth (inferior conjunction), Venus
can come as close as approximately 38 million kilometers (24 million miles).
Time =
Distance
Sped of Light
The speed of light is approximately 299,792 kilometerspersecond.
-
For the closest approach distance of 38 millionkilometers, the travel time would be slightly
less, around 127 seconds or about 2 minutes and 7 seconds.