Question

What causes the changing dark and light features visible on the Martian surface from Earth?

A: the flooding of the network of canals from seasonal polar ice melting
B: huge storms like those on Jupiter with winds that often reach speeds of hundreds of kilometers per hour
C: highly cratered and eroded areas that are frequently covered and uncovered by dust
D: seasonal growth of vegetation
E: lava fields, similar to those found on the Moon

Answer 1

The changing features on the Martian surface are mainly due to dust covering and uncovering cratered areas, with seasonal variations in polar ice caps also contributing to these changes. Option C is correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

The changing dark and light features visible on the Martian surface from Earth are primarily caused by highly cratered and eroded areas that are frequently covered and uncovered by dust. These dark streaks are often observed to elongate within a few days during the martian seasons, suggesting that something, possibly water or dark sediment, is flowing downhill.

However, many of these dark streaks originate at high elevations on crater walls, making the presence of underground water inconsistent with the observations.

Additionally, variations in Mars' polar ice caps seen through telescopes change with the seasons similar to Earth's snow cover, and these variations contribute to the changing appearance of the Martian surface. These seasonal changes are not due to vegetation growth, a network of canals, or lava fields like on the Moon.