MARTIAN CONUNDRUMS
Conundrum 1: Gravity
You have a super-bouncy ball. You hold it one metre above the ground. You drop it on to a flat hard rock and it bounces 98 cm, straight back up. That is on Earth.
If you do the same on Mars, how high will it bounce?
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Solutions
Conundrum 2: The Atmosphere
You make a paper plane and throw it in still air. It is well made and very stable so it glides along a straight flightpath to the ground and lands 10 metres away. That is on Earth.
If you do the same on Mars, how far will it travel? You can assume the air temperature on both planets is freezing point.
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Solutions
Conundrum 3: Sun and Solar Panels
Power to MARTI's spacecraft is supplied by solar panels. When in Earth orbit 10 square metres of panels are enough to supply all our power needs.
How many square metres of panel will we need to supply all our needs when we reach Mars. Remember that our spacecraft will be in orbit around Mars for several years.
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Solutions
Conundrum 4: Mass
MARTI's mass on Earth is 120 kg. What is it on Mars?
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Conundrum 5: Base
If you are going to build a manned Mars base. It is recommended that you bury it. Give three reasons why this is good idea.
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Solutions
Image: © Nasa
Conundrum 6: Directions
Let us assume a manned Mars base is built and you are on Mars.
It is spring, and you are near the enormous shield of the Olympus Mons volcano. It is a still, dark night and you want to return to your base before sun-rise. You know it lies to the north-east, but you don't know which way that is. You have a standard compass, a star chart and a torch.
Which item is going to be the most use and why?
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Solutions
Hint
Return to rover
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