Colonization of Venus

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/colonization-of-venus

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the surface temperature?Average surface temperature of Venus is 464°C (867°F)
2. What is the surface atmospheric pressure?Approximately 92 bars, over 90 times that of Earth's sea level
3. Why can't we build homes on the surface of Venus?The surface is extremely hot, around 464 °C, and the pressure is 92 bars, plus there are thick clouds of sulfuric acid. These conditions make it too dangerous for people to live there.
4. Where on Venus is it safest for humans to live?About 50 km up in the upper atmosphere. There the temperature is between 0 and 50 °C and the pressure is similar to Earth's sea level.

Runaway Greenhouse Effect: A positive feedback loop where increasing atmospheric heat traps more heat, leading to extreme temperatures.
Aerostat: A lighter-than-air craft designed to float in a planetary atmosphere, such as a balloon or airship.
Planetary Engineering: The hypothetical science of modifying a planet's environment to make it habitable for Earth life.