1. Task 16 Mars rocks 1 Worksheet 16.1
In 2004 George W. Bush, who was then the President
of the USA, announced that NASA would build a base
on the Moon by 2020. This would help to develop
technologies that would allow humans to visit Mars.
Scientists are very interested in finding out about Mars.
Mars has no liquid water, although there is ice at the
poles in winter. Some space rovers exploring Mars
have found evidence of ice below the surface in other
places. Photographs taken from orbiting spacecraft
contain evidence that shows that the surface of Mars
must once have had flowing, liquid water on it. If there
was once liquid water on the surface, there may have
also been life!
Gullies and layers in the wall
of a crater on Mars. These
When astronauts visit Mars they will be able to look for look similar to features on
more evidence that water once existed on the surface. Earth that we know have
This could include: been formed by flowing
water.
● sedimentary rocks that formed under water Image courtesy NASA-JPL.
● minerals such as calcium carbonate (which forms
limestone on Earth), which must have formed
underwater
● features that result from weathering and erosion
caused by water.
What you need to do
NASA will need to train astronauts to look for the right kind of evidence. Work
in a group to make a training video to teach astronauts about the kinds of
evidence to look for. They will need to learn:
● how to identify sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks
● how these different kinds of rocks are formed
● about the different kinds of weathering that can break up rocks, and which
kinds of weathering involve water
● about the different ways in which sediments can be transported, and how
evidence in sedimentary rocks can tell us which kind of transport was
involved.
The astronauts will also want to know why they have been given the task of
studying the rocks, instead of leaving it to rovers or landers to investigate.
You may find these words helpful
cementation, chemical, compaction, compression, cooling, crystals,
deposition, erosion, freeze–thaw, grains, gravity, heating, igneous,
interlocking, metamorphic, physical, sedimentary, water, weathering, wind
You may find these words helpful
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009. KS3 Science Assessing Pupils’ Progress
asteroid, dwarf planet, gravity, mass, planet, orbit [Kuiper Belt? they wouldn't be expected to
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remember his]