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Bio 351 - Biology Behind the News > Chemistry of Life 2 - MT1 - Part 2 > Flashcards

Chemistry of Life 2 - MT1 - Part 2 Flashcards

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1
Q

When was the solar system formed?

A

4-6 billion years ago

- life appeared shortly after that

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2
Q

Approx. 3-4 billion years ago Mars had what? (2)

A
  1. Geological activity
    - volcanoes
  2. A liquid core produced by a magnetic field
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3
Q

What is the biggest mountain on Mars?

A

Olympus

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4
Q

What can renew in the atmosphere?

A

Volcanoes

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5
Q

What does the magnetic field provide protection from? (4)

A
  1. Solar wind
  2. Cosmic rays
  3. High temps
  4. Large bodies of water
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6
Q

What acts as a warming blanket?

A

CO2

- earth would be 30deg C cooler if we did not have an atmosphere

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7
Q

What have been found on earth from Mars?

A

Meteorites

- found over 100

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8
Q

What was the most significant find on Mars?

A

Allan Hills 84001 (ALH84001)

- determined it was several billion yeas old from radio carbon dating

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9
Q

Lithopanspermia

A

Is a version of the pansoermia hypothesis in which it is argued that impact expelled rocks from a planets surface serve as transfer vehicles for spreading biological material from one solar system to another
- idea that life travels on rocks

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10
Q

What was interesting about ALH84001? (3)

A
  1. Contained organic molecules
    - polycyclic hydrocarbons
  2. Magnetite that might have a biogenic origin
    - appeared in the magnetite in crystal form (Fe3O4)
  3. Shapes that looked like tiny bacteria
    - nanobacteria
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11
Q

Magnetite

A

Magnetic material that consists of an oxide of iron and is an important form of iron

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12
Q

Why are people not convinced about nanobacteria?

A

Because they thought that they were too small for anything to live on

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13
Q

What has happened to Mars between then and now? (6)

A
  1. Its core solidified
  2. Geological activity stopped
  3. Magnetic field weakened
  4. The solar wind stripped away much of the atmosphere, which was not getting replenished by the volcanoes
  5. Most of the water was blasted into space by meteor imacts
  6. The remaining water froze in subsurface layers
    - below the surface
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14
Q

What was getting lost when the atmosphere was getting lost?

A

A lot of water was being lost in the atmosphere and it lead to a decrease in the warming effect of the atmosphere

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15
Q

What are the atmospheric conditions on Mars? (4)

A
  1. 1% of earths atmosphere
  2. 96% CO2
  3. Traces of CO, O2 and CH4
  4. Atmosphere is thin
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16
Q

What is the temp like on Mars? (2)

A
  • -90deg C

- Near the equator the temperature can increase to 0 and the ground temperature can increase to 20deg C

17
Q

What is the geological activity like on Mars?

A

There is none

18
Q

What is the radiation like on Mars?

A

Need some protection against the radiation

19
Q

What is an example of radiation on Mars?

A

Cosmic rays

20
Q

What was the Viking landers (1976) designed to do?

A

Test for the presence of living processes

- but came up empty

21
Q

GCMS

A

The Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

22
Q

What was GCMS used for?

A

Used to separate potential organic molecules in

23
Q

Labeled Release experiment (4)

A
  • 7 nutrients carried by probes and labelled with 14CO2
  • added soil and waited for radioactive CO2 to appear
  • found radioactive CO2 released
  • couldnt make a claim
24
Q

What 2 ground observations detected CH4?

A
  1. Mars express orbiter

2. Curiosity rover

25
Q

What are 5 possible sources of martian methane?

A
  1. Live origin possible
  2. Olivene (rock) can mix with water to produce CH4
  3. Brought in by cosmic dust
  4. Microbes
  5. Seasonal aspect
26
Q

What exits today at the polar caps and in the lower latitudes under the soil surface?

A

Water ice

27
Q

What did the pictures from the Mars globe surveyor suggest?

A

That liquid water still flows periodically on Mars

- this conclusion got disputed

28
Q

What did the phoenix lander discovered? (3)

A
  1. Subsurface water ice
  2. Snow
  3. Perchlorate
29
Q

Perchlorate

A

A strong oxidant which some organisms can use for energy

30
Q

The curiosity rover (2012-present)

A
  • Detected traces of CH4

- Lasted longer than any other rover on Mars

31
Q

What was the goal of ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Lander?

A

Sensitive detection and mapping of CH4 and other trace gases with an attempt to determined their origin

  • had an error in measurement unit navigator system
  • thought it had landed and it didnt because it ended up crashing
32
Q

ExoMars rover

A
  • Will have a large instrument package, including a drill that can go down 2m below the surface (thats where the ice is)
  • Will carry large labs that can look for water ice, biosignatures and mineral compositions for the surface
  • Scoop up material and bring it back to earth
  • Raising the issue for contamination

Bio 351 - Biology Behind the News (30 decks)

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