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 10, Problem 33TYU
Choose the best answer to each of the following. Explain your reasoning with one or more complete sentences.
If Earth were to be moved to Venus’s orbit, it would probably (a) stay about the same temperature, thanks to the small amount of CO2 in Earth's atmosphere; (b) become a tropical paradise; (c) suffer a runaway greenhouse effect and become even hotter than Venus is today.
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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?
Let's use Kepler's laws for the inner planets. Use the following distances from the sun to calculate the orbital period for each of these planets. Express your answer in terms of Earth years to two significant figures.
Note: Use Kepler's law directly. Don't just Google the answers, as they will be a little bit different.
When you have calculated them, only submit the value for Mercury.
Planet
Distance from the sun
Period of orbit around the sun
Earth
150 million km
___ Earth years
Mercury
58 million km
___ Earth years
Venus
108 million km
___ Earth years
Mars
228 million km
___ Earth years
Impact Energy. Consider a comet about 2 kilometers across with a mass of 4 × 1012 kg. Assume that it crashes into Earth at a speed of 30,000 meters per second (about 67,000 miles per hour).
a. What is the total energy of the impact, in joules? (Hint: The kinetic energy formula tells us that the impact energy in joules will be 1 × m × v2, where 2 m is the comet’s mass in kilograms and v is its speed in meters per second.)
b. A 1-megaton nuclear explosion releases about 4 × 1015 joules of energy. How many such nuclear bombs would it take to release as much energy as the comet impact?
c. Based on your answers, comment on the degree of devastation the comet might cause.
Chapter 10 Solutions
Life in the Universe (4th Edition)
Ch. 10 - What is a habitable zone, and how is the idea...Ch. 10 - Describe several ways in which it may be possible...Ch. 10 - Why do we think that Venus should have outgassed...Ch. 10 - How much water is present on Venus today? How do...Ch. 10 - What is a runaway greenhouse effect, and why did...Ch. 10 - Could Venus ever have had oceans and, if so, could...Ch. 10 - How do we expect the habitable zones of brighter...Ch. 10 - Why is planetary size important to habitability?...Ch. 10 - What factors besides size and distance from the...Ch. 10 - What factors affect the location of the inner...
Ch. 10 - What factors affect the location of the outer...Ch. 10 - Why does the Sun gradually brighten, and how does...Ch. 10 - How and when will Earth become uninhabitable? Why?...Ch. 10 - Briefly describe the eventual fates of the Sun and...Ch. 10 - How do we determine global average temperatures...Ch. 10 - What do ice core data tell us about the past...Ch. 10 - What is the role of climate modeling in...Ch. 10 - Describe several potential consequences of global...Ch. 10 - Decide whether each statement makes sense or does...Ch. 10 - Decide whether each statement makes sense or does...Ch. 10 - Venus is not in the habitable zone now, but a few...Ch. 10 - Decide whether each statement makes sense or does...Ch. 10 - Decide whether each statement makes sense or does...Ch. 10 - Prob. 24TYUCh. 10 - Decide whether each statement makes sense or does...Ch. 10 - Prob. 26TYUCh. 10 - Decide whether each statement makes sense or does...Ch. 10 - Prob. 28TYUCh. 10 - The habitable zone refers to (a) the regions of a...Ch. 10 - A planet that is not within a habitable zone...Ch. 10 - Choose the best answer to each of the following....Ch. 10 - Choose the best answer to each of the following....Ch. 10 - Choose the best answer to each of the following....Ch. 10 - Choose the best answer to each of the following....Ch. 10 - Choose the best answer to each of the following....Ch. 10 - Prob. 36TYUCh. 10 - Prob. 37TYUCh. 10 - Choose the best answer to each of the following....Ch. 10 - Science with Consequences. A small but vocal group...Ch. 10 - The Habitable Zone. Considering the possibility...Ch. 10 - Are Habitable Zone Planets Common? Based on what...Ch. 10 - No Plate Tectonics. Suppose plate tectonics...Ch. 10 - Continuously Habitable Zone. Is Earth in a zone...Ch. 10 - Planetary Changes. Write two or three paragraphs...Ch. 10 - Venuss History. Many people are not surprised to...Ch. 10 - Habitable Moons. As well discuss in Chapter 11,...Ch. 10 - Greenhouse Lessons. While it seems unlikely that...Ch. 10 - Global Warming. Briefly summarize the evidence...Ch. 10 - Massive Stellar Habitable Zone. Consider a star...Ch. 10 - Strength of Sunlight at Venus and Mars. The solar...Ch. 10 - Atmospheric Mass of Venus. The atmospheric...Ch. 10 - Prob. 58IFCh. 10 - The Politics of Global Warming. The current...Ch. 10 - Dealing with Uncertainty. One of the difficulties...
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