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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. **Table 3** 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 in its atmosphere, which is crucial for the process of photosynthesis. Without oxygen, photosynthesis cannot occur, which means that there is little to no carbon dioxide available. Consequently, oxygen-using organisms, like plants and animals on Earth, could not have evolved in similar fashion on Titan.
Step 2
Explain how this greenhouse gas keeps Titan warmer than the other moons of Saturn.
Answer
Methane is a greenhouse gas that allows shorter wavelength radiation to pass through from the sun. Once it reaches Titan's surface, it is re-emitted as longer wavelength radiation. However, this longer wavelength radiation is absorbed by methane in the atmosphere, which helps trap heat, keeping Titan warmer than the other moons of Saturn that lack an atmosphere.
Step 3