Mars Reading Questions
Astronomy
Name:
Using pages 484 – 494, answer the questions below about Mars.
Date:
Period:
1. Mars “is _______________ the diameter of the moon, but only ___________ percent Earth’s diameter. Its
small size has allowed it to cool _________________ than Earth, and much of it’s atmosphere has leaded away. Its
present carbon-dioxide atmosphere is only ______ as dense as Earth’s.”
2. In what ways is Mars similar to Earth?
3. In what ways is Mars different from Earth?
The Atmosphere of Mars
4. The air on Mars is ___________ carbon dioxide, with a few percent each of ______________ and
_________________. It contains almost no _______________ or ________________, and it’s density at the
surface of the planet – only _________ that of Earth’s atmosphere – does not provide enough pressure to prevent
liquid water from ________________ into vapor. If you stepped outdoors on Mars without a space suit, your own
body heat would make your blood ______________. (gross!)
6. Where did the gases in the atmosphere of Mars come from? When did this happen? Is it still happening?
7. How much atmosphere a planet has depends on what two things?
8. Explain how a planet’s escape velocity relates to its atmosphere.
9. Explain how Mars’s temperature also explains its lack of a dense atmosphere.
10. Explain the relationship between the water in Mars’s atmosphere and it’s red soil.
11. How has the solar wind contributed to the lack of thick atmosphere on Mars and WHY?
The Geology of Mars
12. Photographs from the surface of Mars show reddish deserts of ________________ rock. These appear to be
______________ plains fractured by __________________ impacts.
13. What two reasons prevent there from being layers of fine dust on Mars?
14. Describe the two different parts of Mars:
a. Southern highlands
b. Northern lowlands
15. The Martian volcanoes are _____________ volcanoes with shallow sloes showing that the lava flowed easily.
16. Describe the two most impressive features on Mars:
a. Olympus Mons
b. Valles Marineris
17. How do we know that Mars is not broken into moving plates?
18. Is there still a possibility of active volcanoes on Mars?
Hidden Water on Mars
19. Why would we not expect to find liquid water on Mars?
20. For each of the following, briefly explain how they are evidence for water on Mars (use the pictures to help
you!)
a. outflow channels
b. valley networks
c. collapsed valleys
d. gullies
e. northern lowlands shorelines
f. lakebeds
21. How do the ice caps on Mars verify the existence of climate change?
22. Chemical analysis shows that the magma from which the rocks of mars solidified must have contained up to
___________ percent water. If all of the lava flows on Mars contained that much water and it was all outgassed, it
could create a planetwide ocean ___________ deep.