Water on terrestrial planets of the Solar System

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/water-on-terrestrial-planets-of-the-solar-system

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 primary hypotheses for water origin?Delivery via comets and asteroids (late veneer); incorporation during planetary formation (primordial/in-situ)
2. What is the water on ceres?Possesses a significant subsurface layer of water ice, indicating potential internal activity
3. Where is water found on Earth?Earth has a lot of liquid water, covering about 71% of its surface. This water helps keep the climate moving and supports many kinds of life.
4. Why does Venus have almost no water?Venus became very hot because of a runaway greenhouse effect. The heat broke water vapor into hydrogen and oxygen, and the hydrogen escaped into space.

Photolysis: The decomposition of molecules by radiation, such as sunlight, breaking them apart.
Deuterium-to-Hydrogen Ratio (D/H): A measurement used to compare the abundance of heavy hydrogen (deuterium) to normal hydrogen, helping trace water origins.
Biosignatures: Evidence of past or present life, such as organic molecules or fossilized microorganisms.
Protoplanetary Disk: A rotating disk of gas and dust surrounding a newly formed star, from which planets form.