Sometime in your lifetime, space exploration may lead to
a human mission to Mars. The red planet has been a source of
fascination for humans, and an inspiration to writers of
science fiction, for many years. As our neighbor in the
solar system, Mars has been studied through telescopes,
space probes, and most recently, by spacecraft that actually
landed on the surface of Mars. We have taken photographs of
the surface of Mars and analyzed the chemical composition of
its atmosphere. But we have not yet been able to collect
rocks from Mars and bring them back to Earth for study.
However, we have studied rocks from Mars.
Scientists have identified several groups of meteorites
found on Earth's surface as rocks that originated on Mars.
Some of these meteorites appear to include evidence in their
structure that life once existed on Mars. What kind of
evidence do these rocks hold? Why do scientists think that
life may once have existed on the planet Mars?
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Your job in this WebQuest is to learn all about Mars
rocks. You will learn about the planet Mars and about space
missions to Mars of the past, present, and future. You will
find out what types of meteorites came from Mars, and why
these rocks have been identified as coming from that planet.
You will discover the evidence that leads scientists to the
conclusion that life once existed on Mars. You will also
learn about plans for a mission to Mars that will collect
rocks from the planet's surface and bring them back to Earth
for analysis. Finally, you will answer a set of questions to
demonstrate what you have learned about Mars rocks, and
about the possibility of life on Mars.
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Look at the web sites given here to find the information
that will enable you to answer questions about Mars
rocks.
- Explore
Mars.
Visit this site for articles and data
tables about the planet Mars. You can learn about the
history of humanity's quest to understand Mars and about
the possibility of human missions to Mars. Scroll down and
click on robot missions to find out more about past,
current, and future robotic missions to Mars.
- NASA
Human Spaceflight: Science.
Go to this
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) site
for information about the evidence for primitive life on
Mars. The site describes the work of a joint team of
scientists at the Johnson Space Center and at Stanford
University in 1996. These scientists studied a Martian
rock that fell to Earth as a meteorite.
- NASA
Announces New Evidence Regarding Past Life on Mars.
At this Discovery.com site you can read an article
about new information on life on Mars. The article
supports the statements made by scientists in 1996 that a
Martian meteorite called ALH84001 includes magnetite
crystals that were produced by living organisms.
- New
Evidence Strengthen Claims of Ancient Life on
Mars.
Visit this Discovery.com site to
read an article that supports the evidence from Martian
meteorites that life once existed on Mars. Martian
meteorite ALH84001 is one of 16 meteorites found on Earth
that are believed to have originated on Mars.
- The
Whole Mars Catalog.
Go to this Discovery.com
site for all kinds of information on Mars. Scroll down and
click on searching for life to see a list of articles on
Martian meteorites and missions planned to bring samples
back from the surface of Mars.
- Meteorites
from Mars!
At this NASA site you can find out
why scientists agree that at least 12 meteorites found on
Earth had their origins on Mars. Scroll down to learn why
scientists think these rocks originated on Mars, and how
they arrived on Earth.
- Mars
Meteorites.
Visit this NASA site for more
information on Mars meteorites. Scroll down to see a table
that lists the known Mars meteorites, including their
locations, the dates they were discovered, their mass, and
the type of rock they are made of.
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1 class period for research and answering the set of
questions.
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Read through the following set of questions before you
begin your Internet research. As you explore each site, look
for answers to the questions.
Questions about Mars Rocks!
- How did meteors from Mars arrive on Earth?
- What type of rock are most Martian meteorites?
- What does the term snc achondrites refer
to?
- Why is it important to identify the gases trapped
inside Mars meteorites?
- What do Martian meteorites tell us about Mars?
- There is a future mission to Mars planned that will
send a spacecraft to collect rock samples on the surface
of the planet. What is the name and the launch date of
this spacecraft?
- Why do we need to collect rocks from the surface of
Mars?
- What evidence shows that Mars may once have had liquid
water?
- What are some reasons that scientists think living
things may have existed on Mars approximately 3.6 billion
years ago?
- Based on your research, form an opinion as to whether
life once existed on Mars.
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In the process of completing this WebQuest, you've become
informed about the planet Mars, and about the possibility
that life once existed there. You have learned about past,
present, and future missions to Mars. You have discovered
the reasons that scientists think life may once have existed
on Mars. You have also developed research skills as you
explored the web sites given, and identified the relevant
information to answer the set of questions above. Do you
think materials found in Mars meteorites support the idea
that life once existed on Mars? Why is finding evidence of
water on Mars important for future exploration of Mars?
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