Question
Here is the question : WHAT IS THE “SNOW” ON VENUS’ MOUNTAINS MADE OF?
Option
Here is the option for the question :
- Sulphuric acid
- Water
- Ammonia
- Metal
The Answer:
And, the answer for the the question is :
Explanation:
Photos of the planet Venus depict a terrain with a golden hue that is crisscrossed by mountains and looks to be covered with snow on its summits. However, that is not frozen water vapor. The snow that falls on the mountains of Venus is formed of two different forms of metal: bismuthinite and galena. The heat of the planet, which may reach up to 894 degrees Fahrenheit in the lower plains, is to blame for this phenomenon. The heat causes pyrite minerals to evaporate creating a mist of metal in the atmosphere. The mountains are covered in a metallic frost as a result of the mist’s condensation at the higher elevations of the mountains. The Maxwell Montes, which is the tallest of these mountains, stands at an elevation of 6.8 miles and is three times higher than Mount Everest.
When we think of snow, we typically imagine frozen water crystals falling from the sky and accumulating on the ground. However, on Venus, the snow on its mountains is made of metal. This may come as a surprise, but it is a fascinating aspect of our neighboring planet’s geological makeup.
Venus is the second planet from the sun and is often referred to as Earth’s sister planet due to its similar size and proximity to the sun. However, the two planets couldn’t be more different in terms of their environmental conditions. Venus has a thick atmosphere composed mostly of carbon dioxide, with temperatures that can reach up to 864 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius). This extreme heat is enough to melt lead, but the planet’s high altitude mountain ranges are cold enough to allow for the accumulation of a unique type of “snow.”
The metal snow on Venus’ mountains is made up of a combination of two metals: lead sulfide and bismuth sulfide. These two metals have low melting points, which means they can condense and solidify at the high altitude and cooler temperatures of Venus’ mountain tops. The metal snow is believed to be created through a process called sublimation, where the metals vaporize due to the extreme heat in the lower atmosphere and then condense and solidify at higher altitudes.
The discovery of metal snow on Venus was made possible through the use of spectroscopy, a technique that allows scientists to analyze the composition of a planet’s atmosphere by studying the way light is absorbed or emitted by its gases and particles. In 2019, scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles, used data from the Japanese spacecraft Akatsuki to detect the presence of the metal snow on Venus’ mountain tops.
The discovery of metal snow on Venus has implications beyond simply adding to our understanding of the planet’s geological makeup. It also raises questions about the potential for mining and extracting metals from other planets in our solar system. As we continue to explore and study our neighboring planets, we may discover new and valuable resources that can be utilized for future space missions and exploration.
the “snow” on Venus’ mountains is made of metal, specifically lead sulfide and bismuth sulfide. This unique phenomenon is the result of the extreme heat and high altitude conditions on Venus. The discovery of metal snow on Venus is a fascinating aspect of our neighboring planet’s geological makeup and has implications for future space exploration and resource extraction. As we continue to study and explore our solar system, we may uncover even more surprising and intriguing phenomena on other planets and moons.