Natural methane on Mars

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/natural-methane-on-mars

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 chemical composition?Methane (CH4) is a simple hydrocarbon molecule
2. What is the reported abundance range?From <0.05 ppbv to approximately 60 ppbv, indicating significant uncertainty
3. What is methane on Mars?Methane is a gas that has been found in the thin atmosphere of Mars. It is the same molecule that can be made by living microbes on Earth or by rocks reacting with water. Scientists are trying to learn where the Martian methane comes from.
4. Why do scientists think methane on Mars could mean life?On Earth, most methane is produced by tiny organisms called methanogens. If Mars has methane that is made the same way, it could be a sign that living microbes are still around on the planet.

Methanogenesis: The biological production of methane by microorganisms, typically in anaerobic environments.
Serpentinization: A geological process involving the reaction of water with ultramafic rocks, potentially producing methane.
Isotopic Ratio: The relative abundance of different isotopes of an element, which can help determine a substance's origin.