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Titan is a moon of the planet Saturn - AQA - GCSE Chemistry - Question 8 - 2019 - Paper 2
Question 8
Titan is a moon of the planet Saturn. Table 3 shows the percentages of the gases in the atmosphere of Titan. | Gas | Percentage of gas in atmosphere (%... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Titan is a moon of the planet Saturn - AQA - GCSE Chemistry - Question 8 - 2019 - Paper 2
Step 1
Explain why these organisms could not have evolved in the same way that life is thought to have evolved on Earth.
Answer
Titan has little to no oxygen, which means that photosynthesis cannot occur as it does on Earth. Consequently, there is also very little or no carbon dioxide present, making it impossible for oxygen-using animals to have evolved in a similar manner to those on Earth.
Step 2
Explain how this greenhouse gas keeps Titan warmer than the other moons of Saturn.
Answer
Methane allows shorter wavelength radiation to pass through from the sun. However, when this radiation is re-emitted from Titan’s surface, it is of longer wavelength. Methane absorbs this longer wavelength radiation, which traps heat and keeps Titan warmer than the other moons that lack an atmosphere.
Step 3