How do Jupiter and the Moon affect the habitability of Earth?
What will be an ideal response?
Jupiter occasionally perturbs asteroids into Earth-crossing orbits, decreasing the habitability of Earth. However, Jupiter also acts to shield Earth from comets that are perturbed from the outer solar system. Jupiter's large gravity well can intercept incoming comets and prevent them from reaching the Earth, increasing Earth's habitability.
The Moon increases the habitability of the Earth by stabilizing the Earth's obliquity. Without the Moon, the Earth could have undergone extreme variations in obliquity, which would have led to extreme seasonal conditions that are detrimental to higher life forms. However, the question is complex because Earth's obliquity is stable as long as Earth's rotation period is less than 12 hours. We don't know what the spin rate would have been in the absence of a Moon-forming impact, so we cannot say whether Earth's obliquity would be stable or chaotic.
You might also like to view...
Relatively cooler magma in an erupting volcano is apparently the result of _______.
a - the amount of water present b - depth of magma formation c - the relatively high amount of silica present d - position of astronomical bodies e - surface salinity
The orientation of glacial striations was one of the pieces of evidence that supported
continental drift. Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
In some cases, areas where oil spills were cleaned had communities in worse shape than in areas where
an oil spill was left alone. Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
The North American realm extends from the polar regions of northern Canada and Alaska all the way south through Mexico and the countries of Central America.
a. true b. false