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Chapter 11: Problem 36

(a) Why is Mars red? (b) Why is the Martian sky the color of butterscotch?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Mars appears red because its regolith contains iron oxide, or rust. The Martian sky appears butterscotch because the dust particles in the atmosphere scatter all colors of sunlight nearly the same.

Step by step solution

01

Reasoning for the Red Color of Mars

Mars is often called the 'Red Planet' because its regolith, or ground cover, contains iron oxide - the same substance that gives blood and rust their hue. So the red color is due to the rusting iron on the planet's surface.
02

Explaining the Butterscotch Color of the Martian sky

The color of the Martian sky is a result of the way the martian dust particles in the atmosphere scatter sunlight. Unlike on Earth, where shorter wavelength light (blue and violet light) is scattered more than colors with longer wavelengths (such as red, orange, and yellow), the dust in the Martian atmosphere is larger and scatters all colors nearly the same. It’s the dust in Mars atmosphere that scatters sunlight and also gives the sky its butterscotch color.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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