Mars Research Paper
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According to the International Astronomical Union, there are 8 planets in the Solar System. Located between Earth and Venus, there floats what some commonly refer to as the “small, red planet”- Mars. Mars is the fourth planet from the sun and widely known for its fierce coloring. Chinese astronomers called Mars “the fire star”. The Romans, who studied the solar system many centuries ago, named Mars after the Roman god of war because of its fiery red color (Kendell 181). The Romans are known to have copied the ancient Greeks, who also named Mars after their god of war, Ares. The strong, bright, rusty color that Mars is so well known for is due to iron rich minerals in the dust that covers the planet’s surface. The atmosphere of Mars is primarily composed of a very thin layer of carbon dioxide, which is very poisonous air to breathe in. Mars contains approximately 95.32% carbon dioxide, 2.7% nitrogen, 1.6% argon, 0.13% oxygen, and 0.08% carbon monoxide. The thermosphere is a region of high temperature due to the heating that the sun composes on the planet. The middle atmosphere of Mars contains a jet stream, or a fast flowing narrow air current which flows into the region. The lower atmosphere is a heated region which is affected by the heated airborne dust that rises from Mars ground. Mars has the highest mountain in the entire Solar System, which is also the second highest mountain on any world known to man. The mountain, named Olympus Mons, is a large volcano on the planet. It is approximately 370 miles in diameter, or wide enough to cover to state of New Mexico(paragraph 5; Mars facts). Although this particular mountain does not erupt, some smaller volcanic landforms may have eruptions from time to time. Almost every region of Mars consists of flat, low-lying plains. The northern plains are among the smoothest and flattest places in the entire solar system, this being possibly created by a water flow on the surface of Mars. The
According to the International Astronomical Union, there are 8 planets in the Solar System. Located between Earth and Venus, there floats what some commonly refer to as the “small, red planet”- Mars. Mars is the fourth planet from the sun and widely known for its fierce coloring. Chinese astronomers called Mars “the fire star”. The Romans, who studied the solar system many centuries ago, named Mars after the Roman god of war because of its fiery red color (Kendell 181). The Romans are known to have copied the ancient Greeks, who also named Mars after their god of war, Ares. The strong, bright, rusty color that Mars is so well known for is due to iron rich minerals in the dust that covers the planet’s surface. The atmosphere of Mars is primarily composed of a very thin layer of carbon dioxide, which is very poisonous air to breathe in. Mars contains approximately 95.32% carbon dioxide, 2.7% nitrogen, 1.6% argon, 0.13% oxygen, and 0.08% carbon monoxide. The thermosphere is a region of high temperature due to the heating that the sun composes on the planet. The middle atmosphere of Mars contains a jet stream, or a fast flowing narrow air current which flows into the region. The lower atmosphere is a heated region which is affected by the heated airborne dust that rises from Mars ground. Mars has the highest mountain in the entire Solar System, which is also the second highest mountain on any world known to man. The mountain, named Olympus Mons, is a large volcano on the planet. It is approximately 370 miles in diameter, or wide enough to cover to state of New Mexico(paragraph 5; Mars facts). Although this particular mountain does not erupt, some smaller volcanic landforms may have eruptions from time to time. Almost every region of Mars consists of flat, low-lying plains. The northern plains are among the smoothest and flattest places in the entire solar system, this being possibly created by a water flow on the surface of Mars. The