Many missions have looked for evidence of past life on Mars.  Some scientists maintain that not only did life exist on Mars in the past, it still exists today, likely hidden away under the surface.  If you were to be making observations of potential living things on Mars, what are three characteristics of living things would you look for? Identify and describe each.

An atom that loses an electron is _______.

From an energy standpoint, why might it be better to feed the plants directly to the colonizers, rather than feeding animals the plants which the colonizers would then eat?

An atom that gains an electron is _______.

Which has a greater total amount of thermal energy, the human at 98°F or the Martian atmosphere at -100°F?  Why?

Which system has a higher level of entropy?

We have recently discovered that Mars, like Earth, experiences periods of glaciation, or ice ages.  To understand how this might impact the ability for humans to survive long-term on Mars, scientists at NASA are developing models to understand glaciation events on Mars.  What is a model and why are they useful?  

Which picture best represents a pure element?

The freezing point of water is _______ on the Celsius temperature scale.

The Chinese company also claims that they have developed a heat engine that can collect thermal energy during the Martian day and convert 100% of that thermal energy into electrical energy to be stored in batteries.  How do you respond to this claim and what Law does it refer to?