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Ambition – Respect - Excellence

Ardrossan Academy

Dead Earth

Subtopic – SPACE – LIFE ON OTHER WORLDS

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Ambition – Respect - Excellence

Lesson Title:

Life on Other Worlds

Learning Intention:.

To research conditions on other planets and moons to decide if it could support life

Activity: Internet research

I will be successful if I can : Summarise the conditions on another planet or moon, decide whether or not it could support life, and explain my decision.

OTHER WORLDS

• Our Solar system has a single star, eight planets and over 170 known moons.

• As far as we know, only the Earth has life of any kind.

• What is so special about the Earth?

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY ‘LIFE’?

• Human beings are the most complex living things on Earth

• But living things on Earth also include plants, animals, bacteria, fungi

WHAT DOES ‘LIFE’ NEED?

• All living things on Earth need three things to survive

• Liquid water• A source of energy• A protective environment

• These depend on• Temperature• Sunlight• Atmosphere & material of

the planet

THE HABITABLE ZONE

• The temperature on Earth is ideal for water to exist in liquid form

• Closer to the Sun it is too hot• Farther from the Sun it is too

cold• This puts Earth in the

‘Habitable Zone’ for the Sun

WATER AND LIFE

• Liquid water is needed for many of the chemical reactions that support life

• It also provides a habitat for many living things

• The water cycle is vital to provide fresh water for living things

OTHER FEATURES

• The Earth also has an atmosphere rich in oxygen, though many living things – especially plants do not need oxygen to live

• The Earth’s magnetic field also protects us from harmful particles and radiation from the Sun

LIFE ON OTHER WORLDS

• Astronomers have been searching for planets orbiting other stars since the invention of telescope

• The first EXOPLANET was discovered in 1994

• The number now known is almost 2000

LIFE ON OTHER WORLDS

• Very few of these 2000 exoplanets are in the habitable zone for their stars

• Those that are may not have ideal conditions for life

• If there is life on these planets, it may be very simple – e.g bacteria

RESEARCH TASK• For your planet or moon

search the internet to find out about its –

• Temperature• Atmosphere• Gravity• Other important features

• Use your findings to decide if there could be life on this other world.