The Atmosphere and Surface of Venus

1. What did ultraviolet images returned by Pioneer Venus show about the planet's high-level clouds?

2. Name three ways in which the atmosphere of Venus differs from that of Earth.

3. What are the main constituents of Venus's atmosphere? What are the clouds in the upper atmosphere made of?

4. What component of Venus's atmosphere causes the planet to be so hot? Explain why there is so much of this gas in the atmosphere of Venus compared with its presence in Earth's atmosphere. What happened to all the water that Venus must have had when the planet formed?

5. Earth and Venus are nearly alike in size and density. What caused one planet to evolve as an oasis for life, while the other became a dry and inhospitable world?

6. If Venus had formed at Earth's distance from the Sun, what do you imagine its climate would be like today? Why do you think so?

7. How do the impact craters on Venus differ from those on other bodies in the solar system?

8. What is the evidence that volcanism of various types has changed the surface of Venus?

9. Do you think there might be life on Venus? Explain your answer.

10. Do you think Earth is in any danger of a runaway greenhouse effect like that on Venus?