Focus Questions for The Mars Show
(Read the following questions before seeing
The Mars Show,
then listen for the answers during the show.
Afterward, circle the correct answer among the choices given in
parentheses)
- In antiquity Mars was regarded as the god of (love |
war | peace | wealth).
- Mars is the (2d | 3d | 4th | 5th)
planet out from the sun, the next one past (Mercury |
Venus | Earth | Jupiter).
- A year on Mars (one revolution around the sun) lasts
(longer than | shorter than) a year on Earth.
- A day on Mars (one rotation around its axis) lasts (longer
than | shorter than) a day on Earth. A Martian day
differs from an Earth-day by how much? _____
- There (are | are not) seasons on Mars because
Mars (is | is not) tilted on its axis like the
Earth.
- Mars has an atmosphere composed mainly of (oxygen |
carbon dioxide | water vapor).
- Does Mars have high winds and dust storms? Yes |
No
- Are there sand dunes on Mars? Yes | No
- Are there occasional clouds of ice-crystals on Mars?
Yes | No
- What is the temperature like during a Martian summer?
Hot | Cold
- The Valles Marineris is (longer than | shorter
than) the Grand Canyon.
- The Valles Marineris is (longer than | shorter
than) the continental United States.
- The volcano Olympus Mons is (higher than | shorter
than) Mount Everest.
- The south polar cap is (water ice | frozen carbon
dioxide).
Questions for discussion after The Mars Show
Listen for answers to these questions given in the show.
- What features of planet Earth make it able to support life?
What is meant by the phrase "Spaceship Earth"?
- Which of the Earth's life-supporting features are different or
lacking on Mars? What would be necessary to make a "Spaceship
Mars"?
- Does liquid water still flow upon the surface of Mars?
- What evidence suggests that it once flowed upon the Martian
surface?
- What happened to the water? Where did it go?
- Describe the surface features of Mars which have been sculpted
by dust and wind.
- The epilogue to the show concludes that "we are the Martians."
What was meant by this phrase?
- In what sense might one say that humans have always been
Martians?
Questions for exploration
These issues require continued reflection and discussion and are
only briefly touched upon in the show.
- What role has water played in sculpting the surface of Mars?
How exactly were the sculpted streambeds formed?
- Why are the northern and southern hemispheres, and polar caps,
so different?
- Is Mars still subject to active volcanism?
- What was the origin of Mars' two moons, Phobos and Deimos?
- Is there life on Mars today? What is the evidence for ancient
life on Mars in the past?
- What space probes have explored Mars? What have they
discovered?
- Should we colonize Mars? Why? When?
- All of the above questions are raised in The Mars Show. More
information about them can be found in books and internet links.
- These links include instructional resources for teachers,
Pathfinder and Surveyor mission sites, online versions of Mars
classic science fiction, and more!
Mars Books and Links