Term
| The density of mars is 3.8g/cm3. What is it made of? |
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Definition
| Mostly rock with a little iron. |
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Term
| Mars has a moment of inertia of .335, is it homogenous or differentiated? |
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Definition
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Term
| How does the size of a planet determine how long it will be geologically active? |
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Definition
The larger the planet the more fuel (radioactive material) there is in it and the longer it is geologically active.
The larger the planet the smaller the surface area/volume ratio and the slower the planet will cool. |
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Term
| How do the ages of the mare and highlands on Mars compare to the ages of Mare and Highlands on the moon? |
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Definition
mare on Mars is the same age as Mare on the moon
Highlands on Mars are the same age as Highlands on the moon |
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Term
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Definition
Craters on mars have a skirt around them.
When meteorites impact and explode they melt the permafrost ground. The ground flows creating the platform around the crater. |
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Term
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Definition
A mix of ice and rock.
The ground of Mars is all permafrost so impact craters have different shapes then on the moon |
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Term
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Definition
Channels cut, supposedly by water through the Martian surface.
They look like the cannles cut by flooding in eastern Washington. |
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Term
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Definition
The Volcanic region of Mars
The volcanoes are some of the tallest features in our solar system
They are all shield volcanoes (basalt), similar to Hawaii
They are considered a young feature in our solar system (0.5byrs) |
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Term
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Definition
The largest mountain in the Tharsis region.
30km tall |
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Term
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Definition
Like the Hawaii volcanos
Basaltic lava
Shallow slope |
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Term
| What are the two reasons that volcanoes on Mars can be so much larger then volcanoes on earth? |
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Definition
1. Gravity: gravity is stronger on earth so the rock at the base of volcanoes has more weight on them then rock at the base of a similar sized volcano on Mars.
If earth had a volcano the size of mt. Olympus the base would crumble.
2. techtonic activity on earth does not allow volcanoes to stay active long enough to become large. |
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Term
| When did geologic activity end on mars? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
A Mars lander
Looking for life on Mars
Landed on smooth Mare surface
Found lots of basalt but NO signs of life |
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Term
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Definition
Mars 2nd mission
Looking for life on Mars
Lander
Landed on smooth mare next to a crater, they were hoping to find rock ejected from the crater impact.
Found lots of basalt and NO signs of life. |
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Term
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Definition
3rd Mars Mission
Rover landed on an outflow channel, hoping to find signs of water and diverse rock types.
Found lots of basalt and no sign of water.
Chemical composition of the soil was the same as the soils found by the Viking missions. |
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Term
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Definition
4th mission to mars
Landed in a crater that was thought to have been a lake basin.
Found the mineral olivine which weathers fast and indicates that there has never been water in that area.
Found lots of basalt
As it traveled into the hills it found more signs of anchient water. |
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Term
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Definition
5th Mars Mission
Landed on highlands where scientists thought there was iron.
Found 4 signs of water in the walls and base of a crater.
As traveled found that the deeper the crater the more water indicators. |
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Term
| What are the four signs of water found by the opportunity rover? |
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Definition
1. Hematite blueberries
2. Layers within rocks
3. Chemical analysis showed silver and chlorine in the rocks
4. Polygonal fractures |
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Term
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Definition
Hematite is the iron rich mineral that was detected from space.
It forms in small spheres called blueberries and requires water
Finding them in the highlands indicates that there used to be water on Mars |
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Term
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Definition
Sedimentary environments such as lake beds often form layered rocks.
Finding layered rocks in the highlands indicates the presence of water on Mars |
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Term
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Definition
They are salts (ie evaporites)
They often form from the evaporation of bodies of water
Fining them in the highlands indicates the historic presence of water on Mars |
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Term
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Definition
Angular breaks in the rock often form from water freezing and thawing out in rocks.
Finding them in the highlands indicates the historic presence of water on Mars |
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Term
| Why did the opportunity rover visit it's own heat shield on the surface of Mars? |
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Definition
| To see how damaged it was from entering Mars' atmosphere so that future missions could use the knowledge |
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Term
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Definition
The 6th mission to Mars
It was a lander stationed at the north pole
The surface of mars at the poles is all broken into polygonal fractures from freeze-thaw |
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Term
| At what time in Mars' past was there water (according to the evidence found by the opportunity and spirit rovers)? |
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Definition
Before the time of geologic activity (before the mare surface was formed)
~4byrs ago |
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