Question

today, the chemistry of the terrestrial planets does not include a lot of free hydrogen. chemists call the chemistry in places like the earth: question 18answer a. expanded b. oxidized c. comet-like d. reduced e. silicate

Answer 1

The chemistry of terrestrial planets is characterized as oxidized, due to a lack of free hydrogen and the dominance of oxygen compounds like carbon dioxide.

Step-by-step explanation:

The chemistry of the terrestrial planets, which includes Earth, Venus, and Mars, is characterized by a lack of free hydrogen and is dominated by oxygen compounds. Unlike the outer solar system, where chemistry is reducing due to the abundance of hydrogen and its compounds such as water (H2O), methane (CH4), and ammonia (NH3), the terrestrial planets have oxidized atmospheres primarily composed of carbon dioxide (CO2). This transformation occurred because ultraviolet light from the Sun split apart molecules of reducing gases, allowing the light hydrogen atoms to escape, leaving behind oxidized atmospheres. Consequently, the current terrestrial chemistry is referred to as oxidized, which is the correct answer to the student's question (option b).