LIFESCI 2H03 Lecture 7: Lecture 7 Habitable Planets.docx
6 Apr 2013
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Document Summary
Until now the only example of a known habitable planet. Earth orbits the sun within a region called the habitable zone. Region where an earth analog planet can maintain liquid water on its surface. It has the greenhouse gases that keep the temperature regulated for life on earth. The best solvent for life to emerge and evolve in. It can form hydrogen bonds with other water molecules. It is able to attract/repel molecules in a hydrophobic/hydrophilic fashion. Can be found in different environments: stellar atmospheres. Inner edge of the hz: runaway greenhouse conditions, planets such as venus and mercury are found in the inner edge of the hz. Outer edge of the hz: greenhouse effect fails to keep the planet above the freezing point, planets such as neptune and saturn would be an example of this. Earth has the perfect distance from the sun.
