Could you please help me with this question;
Scientists in the future hope to land a mannea spacecraft on Mars in order to survive on this planet problems associated with lack of air, water, food and shelter must be faced. Select 2 of these problems and describe how you think they might be overcomed.
This is what i think: (below)
I would choose to overcome the problem of food and water on Mars.
Food can be provided by
adding local mineral by products of silicon purification allows chemicals for agriculture and industry to be produced.
To provide water i would bring in heat to melt all the frozen ice to create water.
Can you critique my work.
Could you please help me with this question;
Scientists in the future hope to land a mannea spacecraft on Mars in order to survive on this planet problems associated with lack of air, water, food and shelter must be faced. Select 2 of these problems and describe how you think they might be overcomed.
This is what i think: (below)
I would choose to overcome the problem of food and water on Mars.
Food can be provided by
adding local mineral by products of silicon purification allows chemicals for agriculture and industry to be produced.
To provide water i would bring in heat to melt all the frozen ice to create water.
Can you critique my work.
Sorry for posting this twice.
On the silicon purification byproducts. You are going to need carbon dioxide, nitrogen, phosphrous, potassium, and a number of trace elements to produce food.
ON Mars, the atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide. Nitrogen is available in the atmosphere, and could be fixed by bacteria to nitrates.
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Now you will need phospates:
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/mdyar/database/
and potassium..
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Your idea of using local mineral byproducts of silicon purification to provide chemicals for agriculture and industry is a good one. However, there are a few aspects that could be further elaborated on:
1. Food Production:
To produce food on Mars, you would need to cultivate plants in controlled environments such as greenhouses. The plants would require a suitable growing medium, such as a mixture of Mars soil and imported organic materials. Additionally, you would need to provide the plants with the necessary nutrients and resources.
As you mentioned, the local mineral byproducts of silicon purification can provide some of the necessary chemicals for agriculture. However, to successfully grow plants, you would also need to ensure the availability of essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and trace elements. Nitrogen can be obtained from the atmosphere by fixing it into nitrates using bacteria. Phosphates and potassium can be extracted from Martian rocks and regolith.
Furthermore, to ensure the successful growth of plants, you would also need to consider factors such as temperature regulation, humidity control, and the availability of light. These factors would need to be carefully managed in the closed environment of a Martian greenhouse.
2. Water Production:
Water is essential for human survival and multiple other purposes, including agriculture. Mars is known to have icecaps and water-ice deposits in the form of permafrost below the surface. Your idea of bringing in heat to melt the frozen ice and create water is a viable approach.
To access the ice, you would need drilling technologies capable of reaching the ice deposits. Once the ice is extracted, it would need to be melted and processed to remove impurities and make it suitable for consumption and agricultural use. This process could involve filtration, purification, and testing to ensure the water meets safety standards.
In conclusion, your initial ideas of using local mineral byproducts for agriculture and melting Martian ice for water production are indeed reasonable approaches to overcoming the food and water problems on Mars. However, additional considerations, such as nutrient availability and the need for controlled environments, should be taken into account for successful food production. Additionally, drilling technologies and water purification methods are important considerations for water production on Mars. These factors will contribute to the overall feasibility and sustainability of long-term human habitation on the planet.