Transcript Class Introduction - Cedarville University

Origin of Habitable Planet
HON-3230
Chance, Emergence or Design
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Fit Planet: Page 1
Uniqueness of Carbon
• Desire for 4 bonds
– Basis for 3-D structures
– More variety in types of
bonds to one atom.
• Stronger bonds than Si
• Greatest variety in carbon
chemistry at temperatures
where water is liquid.
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Tetrahedron
Fit Planet: Page 2
Uniqueness of Water
• Requires a lot of heat to warm it.
• Conducts heat better than most liquids.
• High surface tension allows biochemical
reactions to occur more rapidly.
• Solid form is less dense than its liquid form.
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Fit Planet: Page 3
Unity and Diversity
• Unity
– All interactions involve forces
– Energy is basis of all activity
Hope for a
Theory of
Everything
(TOE)
• Diversity
– Limited number of basic
particles
– Complexity arises from
variations on how groups of
particles interact.
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Fit Planet: Page 4
Unique Universe
• Inflation - Flat Universe
• Smolin - Evolving universes
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Fit Planet: Page 5
Drake Equation
• Probability of contacting intelligent life
p  f p ne fl fi f c
fp - planets ne - habitable
fl - life
fi - intelligence
fc - communication
• Carl Sagan
– Over 1 million civilizations/galaxy
• Ward and Brownlee
fpm - metal rich
fme - mass extinctions
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Fit Planet: Page 6
Crustal Plates
•
•
•
•
Recycle sediments on ocean floor
Magnetic field from molten core
Atmosphere from outgassing
Water from comets
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Fit Planet: Page 7
Unique Earth
• Water present
in 3 phases
• Ozone
• Nitrogen
atmosphere
• Bound Carbon
• Oxygen
present
• Probability
– 1069 to 1
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Fit Planet: Page 8
Habitable
Zone
•
•
•
•
Stable sun
Appropriate distance
Nearly circular orbit
Obliquity stabilization by moon
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
N.P.
Sun
Eq.
S.P.
Fit Planet: Page 9
Search
for Life
Titan
Arecibo
Halley
Mars
Europa
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Fit Planet: Page 10
Anthropic Principle
• If conditions weren’t right for intelligent life
to form, then no life would exist to ponder
the question of its existence.
• Barrow and Tipler
– There exists one possible Universe 'designed' with the
goal of generating and sustaining 'observers'. Or...
– An ensemble of other different universes is necessary
for the existence of our Universe (which may be related
to the “Many Worlds” interpretation of quantum
mechanics).
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Fit Planet: Page 11
Answers?
Panspermia
Lonely Universe
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Fit Planet: Page 12
Paper #2
• Is the exploration of Mars worth the
investment?
– See LA Times article
• Write a 5 minute speech.
–
–
–
–
~650 words (~1 ½ pages single spaced)
May focus the thesis tighter than this.
Gather some of your own facts
Consider Argument/Support/Organization/Tone
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Fit Planet: Page 13