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Post by Nemt on Jul 4, 2007 10:58:07 GMT -5
The nae planet has one and only one moon, right?
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Post by Gamemaster on Jul 4, 2007 18:59:46 GMT -5
That appears to be true.
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Post by Nemt on Jul 4, 2007 20:02:38 GMT -5
Unless the NAE universe has much different physics than ours, it's unlikely a planet without a single similar moon to earth's could support human-like life.
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Post by Gamemaster on Jul 4, 2007 20:39:53 GMT -5
I can't think of a reason why that would be. Perhaps you can enlighten us on that point.
But in any event, there does appear to be one moon and only one moon.
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Post by Nemt on Jul 4, 2007 22:52:57 GMT -5
something to do with gravitational pull and the formation of an atmosphere
I heard it from an astronomer
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Post by Gamemaster on Jul 5, 2007 3:31:50 GMT -5
Mars has two moons and it has an atmosphere. Not an atmosphere that we can breathe, but it has an atmosphere.
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Post by Gamemaster on Jul 5, 2007 3:46:43 GMT -5
Also, the main reason we can't breathe the atmosphere on Mars is that it's almost all carbon dioxide. Molecular Oxygen has a higher molecular weight than carbon dioxide. The main reason Mars doesn't have lighter chemicals in its atmosphere, like molecular oxygen, molecular nitrogen and water vapour is because Mars doesn't have sufficient gravity. In the upper atmosphere, the lighter chemicals have a tendency to float away into space one molecule at a time. Or at least, that's the theory I read as to why. I don't recall why the lighter chemicals fly off. There was a reason. Perhaps being struck by solar wind.
Further confirmation of the theory is that Earth has virtually no hydrogen or helium in its atmosphere while Jupiter has huge amounts of hydrogen. According to the theory, Earth has enough gravity to hold oxygen and nitrogen in its atmosphere, but not hydrogen or helium. Jupiter has enough gravity to hold any and all gases and therefore has even got hydrogen, the lightest gas of them all.
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Post by Gamemaster on Jul 5, 2007 3:57:27 GMT -5
While looking for information on what you were told by that astronomer, I found confirmation that solar wind is believed to be the cause of lighter elements of an atmosphere bleeding away into space. This is according to a scientist at the US Department of Energy: www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/ast99/ast99458.htm |
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Post by Nemt on Jul 10, 2007 11:57:59 GMT -5
The Earth would also be much more wobbly if not for a large moon, which would cause erratic seasons and make adapting quite difficult.
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