Mars: The rusty planet

Hey everyone,

I was just watching a program on the planet Mars this morning. They were saying that
the atmosphere on Mars is almost pure carbon monoxide, not a good place for humans.
Then they said that the reason that mars is red in color is that the soil/rocks are very
iron rich and full of iron oxide producing a rusty red color.
Is it not true that for iron to oxidize or rust, you will need some level of oxygen, hence
the word "Oxidation"?
Can Iron rust in a zero oxygen environment? I know that the Titanic is rusting at the
bottom of the Atlantic right now, but there is some level of oxygen in sea water.

Thanks.


MS

Because Mars allegedly has no atmosphere the iron in the rocks is reacting to trace amounts of oxygen that is floating around the solar system.

Hi, I found out that the mars atmosphere is covered by 0,2% oxygen

Originally posted by careface
Because Mars allegedly has no atmosphere the iron in the rocks is reacting to trace amounts of oxygen that is floating around the solar system.

Ummm, who says Mars has no atmosphere? Certainly not NASA. NASA scientists say there is a relatively thin Martian atmosphere consisting mostly of carbon dioxide (not monoxide as said in the OP), with some nitrogen and argon, plus contains traces of oxygen, water, and methane.

Through its space probes, NASA has identified clouds, weather and wind-blown effects such as sandstorms and "dust devils" which are like mini-tonadoes. There is enough of an atmoshere to keep some of the rusty red dust suspended in it, which causes the "dirty pinkish" color of its sky.


Most of the rocks on Mars are a volcanic rock called basalt, but much of its surface is covered in a fine dust made up of iron oxide (also known as common rust). Most scientists, including NASA's geologists, think that the iron-rich Mars was once a much wetter place, and the iron in the rocks reacted with the oxygen in the water to form the iron oxide, or rust.

So the Oxygen to help create the rust (iron oxide) came from the liquid water that probably once flowed on Mars a couple of billion years ago, NOT from free oxygen floating in space.


[edit on 6/14/2008 by Soylent Green Is People]

Oops, I got Mars and the Moon confused

They both have life on them right? What's the difference