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Chapter 13: Problem 31

Describe Titan's atmosphere. What effect has the Sun's ultraviolet radiation had on Titan's atmosphere?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Titan's atmosphere is mostly composed of nitrogen and small amounts of methane, and the Sun's ultraviolet radiation causes these elements to undergo photochemistry, resulting in a complex organic haze in the atmosphere.

Step by step solution

01

Description of Titan's atmosphere

Titan, one of Saturn's largest moons, has a thick and heavy atmosphere. It is mostly made up of nitrogen--about 95%, with the remaining 5% composed of methane and traces of other gases like ethane. The atmospheric pressure on the surface of Titan is about 1.5 times that of Earth. This atmosphere contributes to Titan's opaque and orange color.
02

Impact of Sun's ultraviolet radiation

The Sun's ultraviolet radiation has a significant impact on Titan's atmosphere. It breaks down the molecular nitrogen and methane present, leading to the production of more complex organic molecules and a thick orange haze of organic particles. This process is called photochemistry. Over many years, this has led to a rich, complex chemistry forming on the surface of Titan.
03

Summary of the Effect

In summary, the ultraviolet radiation from the Sun causes a process known as photochemistry which breaks down the molecular nitrogen and methane in Titan's atmosphere. This process leads to the formation of dense, complex organic haze that largely dictates Titan's atmospheric conditions.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Use the Starry Night Enthusiast \({ }^{\mathrm{TM}}\) program to observe the Galilean satellites of Jupiter. Open the Favourites pane and click on Guides \(>\) Atlas to display the entire celestial sphere. Open the Find pane and double-click the entry for Jupiter to center this planet in the view. Using the controls at the right-hand end of the toolbar, zoom in to a field of view of approximately \(13^{\prime} \times 9^{\prime}\). Stop time flow and in the toolbar, set the date and time to March 4,2004 , at 12:00:00 A.M to see Jupiter at opposition. Set the Time Flow Rate to 20 minutes by clicking on the number in the Time Flow Rate box and setting the value with the keyboard. Then click on the Run Time Forward button (a triangle that points to the right). You will see the four Galilean satellites orbiting Jupiter. (If these moons appear to move too quickly, adjust the Time Flow Rate to 10 minutes.) (a) Are all four satellites ever on the same side of Jupiter? (b) Observe the satellites passing in front of and behind Jupiter and look for their shadows upon the planet. (Zoom in as needed). Explain how your observations tell you that all four satellites orbit Jupiter in the same direction.

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