How can we create oxygen in Mars' atmosphere?

Question

Is there some kind of reaction we can create so oxygen is always being created without us always monitoring it?

Mars seems like the only other planet humans can inhabit. The atmosphere is stable and isn't rough like other planets in our Solar system.

Answer 1

We could plant a lot of vegetation that would breath up the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and turn it into oxygen. It would be hard to do this though cause you would need a lot of water, and air pressure to keep the water from evaporating. Basically, you would need to build many pressurized green houses for this vegetation.

Answer 2

Mars can never be made habitable. Because eventhough it is easy to convert the CO2 into oxygen (using the Sabatier/electrolysis cycle. CO2 + 4 H2 -> CH4 + 2 H2O. CH4 + heat/pressure -> C + 2H2. 2 H2O + electricity -> 2 H2 + 1 O2.) you still have no nitrogen which is essential to life. There are only trace amounts left on Mars because the Martian atmosphere is NOT stable. You could move earths entire atmosphere to Mars and you would just see it drift off into space as Mars is to tiny to hold onto it.

And Venus is actually a much better candidate to terraform. If it could be cooled down, 88% of the sunlight blocked off, the water in its atmosphere would condense. As soon as that happened it would dissolve the oxides that are bound to be in the soil as well as the CO2 in the atmosphere (do the experiment in chemistry class. Put some sodiumoxide in an empty plastic sodabottle. Fill the bottle with CO2. Shake it around. Nothing. Now carefully add some water). The reaction is instant and catalytical (the water isn´t consumed) and it happened on earth long ago. The CO2 becomes solid carbonate rock and you would be left with a much less dense atmosphere that would consist of mostly nitrogen as Venus has about the same amount of nitrogen in its atmosphere as earth. And Venus would be ripe for a visit by humans.

Answer 3

Mars's atmosphere is mainly carbon dioxide. There is research going on about some types of algae which grow in Antarctica. If you can genetically modify them to adapt them to Mars, it would be a great way to terraform the atmosphere, filling it with oxygen by means of natural photosynthesis.
However in the short term you probably need to create an enclosed biosphere, and live confined in the small bubble of oxygen rich air.

Answer 4

ok, first. could we build a deliver like that? particular. besides the shown fact that, it would take many years to layout and build and can in all probability bankrupt each and every united states in the international interior the technique. As to pumping out oxygen from a dome. you realize flowers do no longer create oxygen suitable? they simply convert CO2 into O2, they do no longer unquestionably upload something to the mixture. whether we switched over each and every molecule of CO2 on Mars into O2 the ambience might nevertheless be so skinny and so chilly you may die very almost quickly. whether we introduced in outdoors air to pump onto Mars to thicken its ecosystem, Mars nevertheless has no magnetic container and comparatively vulnerable gravity. the comparable ingredient might take place to the ambience we pumped in that occurred to Mars' unique ecosystem. The image voltaic wind might merely blow it away into area. If we've been to ever desire to unquestionably terraform Mars including a magnetic container, no longer basically to guard the ambience yet to maintain all the persons from being fried via image voltaic radiation, could be a necessity. this is a lot previous something we are able to even feasibly desire to end for a minimum of a few thousand years, if ever.

Answer 5

One possible way is to use solar panels in orbit or lazers to heat water of which there seems to be an abundance under the surface . H2o , we could extact the one hydrogen molecule for fuel to heat things up also and seperate the two oxygen molecules into the atmosphere . These would hopefully bond again and cause precipitation , also hopefully cause a bit of a greenhouse effect and warm the surface temperatures .

Answer 6

The type of reaction your talking about, which could be refered to as a cascading chain reaction, could not be created simply using chemicals. However, using a combination of high intensity green house gases, and biological processes, you could push the martian atmosphere to the point that you would have such a situation. But this would take time, and would be bio-chemistry, along with other things, rather than just chemistry.

Answer 7

What's the point? Do you think we can escape this planet because we've overpopulated it and trashed it, along with all our fellow wildlife inhabitants.....???
Then what? Go to Mars and trash that too....???
How about thinking of ways in which we can live as a species that cares about the environment we live in, and make it a habitable place for all organisms that grew and evolved here........?
Why not use our ability to 'manipulate' nature in a positive way, instead of one that destroys our existing environment.
The grass is not greener elsewhere.
The human organisism is not well adapted to alternative planetary environments. It will not survive on Mars.
Escapism is not the answer, I'm afraid.
As the species with the most 'evolved' brain and thinking power, why can't we figure this out?
Our mindset is what needs to change.

Answer 8

The problem is that the Martian gravity isn't strong enough to hold an atmosphere in place. I doubt that Mars will ever be 'terraformed'.

Doug

Answer 9

create a biodome. We know of nothing that can live on mars' surface and therefoe cannot create oxygen from plants unless its in a controlled environment.