WCL (Wet Chemistry Lab) sample |
WCL (Wet Chemistry Lab) sample |
Jun 25 2008, 12:18 AM
Post
#1
|
|
Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 2785 Joined: 10-November 06 From: Pasadena, CA Member No.: 1345 |
We'll soon know what kinds of crops we can grow on Mars! Bonus, the fruits will be already freeze-dried!
Handy list of preferred pH's of common garden plants. -Mike -------------------- Some higher resolution images available at my photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31678681@N07/
|
|
|
Jun 25 2008, 06:28 AM
Post
#2
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2228 Joined: 1-December 04 From: Marble Falls, Texas, USA Member No.: 116 |
That's really a difficult question to answer, considering the actual Martian data that we have to work with.
-------------------- ...Tom
I'm not a Space Fan, I'm a Space Exploration Enthusiast. |
|
|
Jun 25 2008, 09:38 AM
Post
#3
|
|
Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14432 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
'Don't know, it'll be interesting to find out'. Tick.
|
|
|
Jun 25 2008, 10:08 AM
Post
#4
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 276 Joined: 11-December 07 From: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Member No.: 3978 |
Considering the fact that there is water ice and some salt, basic minerals, I think we can make a rough assumption about the pH value of martian soil.
However the verdict is still open. -------------------- |
|
|
Jun 25 2008, 01:49 PM
Post
#5
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 428 Joined: 21-August 06 From: Northern Virginia Member No.: 1062 |
My money is on fairly acidic.
|
|
|
Jun 25 2008, 03:32 PM
Post
#6
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 530 Joined: 21-March 06 From: Canada Member No.: 721 |
Oh man, my camp is dead last! The curse of the far side continues...
Brian |
|
|
Jun 25 2008, 03:40 PM
Post
#7
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2173 Joined: 28-December 04 From: Florida, USA Member No.: 132 |
The results indicate that, as a group.... we don't have a clue!
|
|
|
Jun 25 2008, 08:44 PM
Post
#8
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 568 Joined: 20-April 05 From: Silesia Member No.: 299 |
-------------------- Free software for planetary science (including Cassini Image Viewer).
http://members.tripod.com/petermasek/marinerall.html |
|
|
Jun 25 2008, 09:02 PM
Post
#9
|
|
Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 36 Joined: 28-May 08 Member No.: 4152 |
The universe's first, interplanetary Pot Noodle?
|
|
|
Jun 26 2008, 05:52 PM
Post
#10
|
|
Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14432 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
Poll = Fail
The results from the first sample are a pH between 8 and 9 Doug |
|
|
Jun 26 2008, 05:52 PM
Post
#11
|
|
Administrator Group: Admin Posts: 5172 Joined: 4-August 05 From: Pasadena, CA, USA, Earth Member No.: 454 |
News: WCL analysis indicates pH of "8 or 9." Very surprising!
--Emily -------------------- My website - My Patreon - @elakdawalla on Twitter - Please support unmannedspaceflight.com by donating here.
|
|
|
Jun 26 2008, 06:00 PM
Post
#12
|
|
Interplanetary Dumpster Diver Group: Admin Posts: 4404 Joined: 17-February 04 From: Powell, TN Member No.: 33 |
Someone spilled the baking soda....that explains all the bright patches Phoenix is seeing - Stu, you have your answer!
-------------------- |
|
|
Jun 26 2008, 06:48 PM
Post
#13
|
|
Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 2785 Joined: 10-November 06 From: Pasadena, CA Member No.: 1345 |
Someone spilled the baking soda....that explains all the bright patches Phoenix is seeing - Stu, you have your answer! Nope. Not baking soda. That would hit a pH of 7 (neutral). More like sodium carbonate. Looks like we'll be sipping soothing mint tea on Mars... -Mike (P.S. my guess was at the other end of the pH scale) -------------------- Some higher resolution images available at my photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31678681@N07/
|
|
|
Jun 26 2008, 07:00 PM
Post
#14
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2998 Joined: 30-October 04 Member No.: 105 |
Not surprising. The pH is a rather quirky parameter that is also temperature dependent (although that may not be entirely relevant here). The WCL takes a sample of the regolith/soil and introduces it to water at an un-martian temperature. I get many hits to "phoenix pH WCL" and need to sort through them.
My first thought is that the high pH is from hydroxyl ions, but we'll need to see the entire chemistry to figure out what is happening. Here is a quick-and-dirty explanation of pH _vs_ temperature: http://www.lenntech.com/Correlation-betwee...Temperature.htm which, again, may not be entirely relevant here. --Bill -------------------- |
|
|
Jun 26 2008, 07:44 PM
Post
#15
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 524 Joined: 24-November 04 From: Heraklion, GR. Member No.: 112 |
High -OH does not have to be present in the original sample.
A simplified view : High pH means that the salts involved have a "weak acid" part, thus anions that form strong acids are probably low concentration in the sample: Cl-, Br-, I-, SO4--, NO3-, ClO3-, ClO4- As Mike said, CO3-- (carbonates) or any other weak acid would be a good candidate. Remember this is a real sample, with many salts probably present so common ions effects might also be present. Let's wait and hear what the Phoenix team's martian experts will say ! |
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 1st June 2024 - 04:50 AM |
RULES AND GUIDELINES Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting. IMAGE COPYRIGHT |
OPINIONS AND MODERATION Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators. |
SUPPORT THE FORUM Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member. |