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Astronomy Today

Eric Chaisson, S McMillan

Chapter 10

Mars - all with Video Answers

Educators

Chapter Questions

00:46

Problem 1

What is the maximum elongation of Earth, as seen from Mars? (For simplicity, assume circular orbits for both planets.)

Tanishq Gupta
Tanishq Gupta
Numerade Educator
00:58

Problem 2

Calculate the minimum and maximum angular diameters of the Sun, as seen from Mars.

Sriram Soundarrajan
Sriram Soundarrajan
Numerade Educator
01:24

Problem 3

What would you weigh on Mars?

AG
Ankit Gupta
Numerade Educator
03:45

Problem 4

What was the minimum size of a Martian surface feature resolvable during the 2003 opposition (see Figure 10.1 ) by an Earth-based telescope with an angular resolution of $0.05^{\prime \prime} ?$

Matthew Miranda
Matthew Miranda
Numerade Educator
05:35

Problem 5

The mass of the Martian atmosphere is about $1 / 150$ the mass of Earth's atmosphere and is composed mainly (95 percent) of carbon dioxide. Using the result of problem 1 in Chapter 7 to determine the mass of Earth's atmosphere, estimate the total mass of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of Mars. Compare your answer with the mass of a seasonal polar cap, approximated as a circular sheet of frozen carbon dioxide ("dry ice," having a density of $1600 \mathrm{kg} / \mathrm{m}^{3}$ ) of diameter $3000 \mathrm{km}$ and thickness $1 \mathrm{m}.$

Keshav Singh
Keshav Singh
Numerade Educator
01:30

Problem 6

How long would it take the wind in a Martian dust storm, moving at a speed of $150 \mathrm{km} / \mathrm{h}$, to encircle the planet's equator?

Rodger Claar
Rodger Claar
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01:17

Problem 7

The Hellas impact basin is roughly circular, $3000 \mathrm{km}$ across, and $6 \mathrm{km}$ deep. Taking the Martian crust to have a density of $3000 \mathrm{kg} / \mathrm{m}^{3},$ estimate how much mass was blasted off the Martian surface when the basin formed. Compare your answer with the present total mass of the Martian atmosphere. (See problem 5.)

Varsha Aggarwal
Varsha Aggarwal
Numerade Educator
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Problem 8

The outflow channel shown in Figure 10.9 is about $10 \mathrm{km}$ across and $100 \mathrm{m}$ deep. If it carried $10^{7}$ metric tons $\left(10^{10} \mathrm{kg}\right)$ of water per second, as stated in the text, estimate the speed at which the water must have flowed.

Victor Salazar
Victor Salazar
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01:15

Problem 9

Calculate the total mass of a uniform layer of water covering the entire Martian surface to a depth of $2 \mathrm{m}$. (See Section 10.5.) Compare your answer with the mass of Mars.

Varsha Aggarwal
Varsha Aggarwal
Numerade Educator
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Problem 10

Using the data given in the text, calculate the maximum angular sizes of Phobos and Deimos, as seen by an observer standing on the Martian surface directly under their orbits. Would a Martian observer ever see a total solar eclipse? (See problem $2 .)$

Victor Salazar
Victor Salazar
Numerade Educator