why is mars hotter than the earth even though it is farther from the sun than earth. It makes no sense becuase shouldnt earth be hotter since its closer to the sun? just wondering kinda botherin me that i dont know this. thank you
2007-10-06 10:11:24 · 12 answers · asked by ur boy needo 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
You may be confusing the earth/mars relationship with the mercury/venus one. Venus is hotter than mercury even though it is farther from the sun because it has a atmosphere composed of 96% carbon dioxide, with 90 times the atmospheric pressure of the earth. This results in a super greenhouse effect, while mercury has almost no atmosphere at all.
2007-10-06 10:38:53 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'll probably get this wrong but I'm guessing one side of Mars is very hot while t'other is very cold. And this relates to its ralatively thin atmosphere as well as its slower rotation. Earth also has an enormous amount of surface water that dissipates much solar heat from Earth's land surfaces and atmosphere. There are also two larger polar regions on our planets than Mars has, which would tend to reflect more sunlight back into space and also send cooling weather fronts to the north and the south. I answered this for my own pleasure and probably missed something, but a QUESTION I have for a geologist is why the surface of the Earth (other than volcanoes and other fissures) does not significantly or measureably reflect (poor choice of words) its interior inferno (which I suppose is a remnant of the creation of the solar system.)
2007-10-06 10:57:02 · answer #2 · answered by te144 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mars is NOT hotter than Earth. Mars is colder than Earth. The Martian tropics have a similar temperature to our polar regions; Mars is a cold desert.
2007-10-07 12:13:23 · answer #3 · answered by Somes J 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't know where you got the idea that Mars was hotter than Earth, but it certainly is not. The average surface temperature of Mars is minus 81 Fahrenheit. The average surface temperature of Earth is plus 57.2 Fahrenheit.
2007-10-06 10:43:23 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not sure where you got the idea that Mars is hotter than Earth. Wherever it was, it was completely wrong.
The average daytime summer surface temperature of Mars is -5 degrees Celsius, the average nighttime winter temperature is -87 degrees Celsius.
So on a warm summer day, its cold enough to freeze water, and on a cold winter night it's cold enough to freeze radon.
2007-10-06 10:27:27 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's very cold on Mars: http://www-k12.atmos.washington.edu/k12/resources/mars_data-information/temperature_overview.html . It never gets over 20° C (68° F) there.
Although being closer to the Sun doesn't necessary mean you're warmer. The atmosphere of a planet can block out sunlight, keeping it cool. It can also act like a blanket, storing the heat in.
2007-10-06 10:16:27 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure where you got the idea that Mars is hotter than Earth, but it's not. In fact, it is much colder-for exactly the reason you thought it ought to be.
Try these sites for more information:
nasa.ogov and space.com
2007-10-06 10:49:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not that sure but I actually think that Mars is hotter than Earth because it's farther from the sun.
2007-10-06 10:25:55 · answer #8 · answered by stellar7 3 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Don't know where you got your facts from, but my understanding is Mars is definitely colder. A very hot day on Mars is about 0 degrees F.
2007-10-06 10:18:20 · answer #9 · answered by Thomas E 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
mars isnt hotter. it has more radiation because it doesnt have a magnetic field, but its further from the sun, has no active core, and no atmosphere, so its not gonna be hot at all.
2007-10-06 10:17:10 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋