Astronomy lab on habitable zones
Question 1: Drag the planet to the inner boundary of the CHZ and note this distance from the Sun. Then drag it to the outer boundary and note this value. Lastly, take the difference of these two figures to calculate the "width" of the sun's primordial CHZ.
Question 2: Let's explore the width of the CHZ for other stars. Complete the table below for stars with a variety of masses.
Question 3: Using the table above, what general conclusion can be made regarding the location of the CHZ for different types of stars?
Question 4: Using the table above, what general conclusion can be made regarding the width of the CHZ for different types of stars?
Question 5: Zoom out so that you can compare this planet to those in our solar system (you can click-hold-drag to change the scale). Is this extrasolar planet like any in our solar system? In what ways is it similar or different?
Question 6: Select the system HD 93083. Note that planet b is in this star's CHZ. This planet has a mass of at least 0.37 Jupiter masses. Is this planet a likely candidate to have life like that on Earth? Why or why not?
Question 7: Note that Jupiter's moon Europa is covered in water ice. What would Europa be like if it orbited HD 93083b?
Question 8: What is the total lifetime of the Sun (up to the point when it becomes a white dwarf and no longer supports fusion)?
Question 9: What happens to Earth at this time in the simulator?
Question 10: It took approximately 4 billion years for complex life to appear on Earth. In which of the systems above would that be possible? What can you conclude about a star's mass and the likeliood of it harboring complex life?
Question 11: What would happen to Earth's water if it were suddenly to become tidally locked to the Sun? What would this mean for life on Earth?
Question 12: Complete the table below by resetting the simulator, setting the initial star mass to the value in the table, and positioning the planet in the middle of the CHZ at time zero. Record whether or not the planet is tidally locked at this time. If tidal locking reduces the likelihood of life evolving on a planet, which system in the table is least conducive towards life?
Question 13: What factor influences the rate of planet formation? How does this vary as a function of a star system's distance from the center of the Milky Way?
Question 14: What sort of events can wipe out life on a planet? How does the likelihood of extinction for life vary depending upon a star system's distance from the center of the Milky Way?
Question 15: Present a version of the Goldilock's Hypothesis for the GHZ that is similar in character to that which we stated for the CHZ earlier.
Attachment:- Habitable Zones.rar