Why is Europa considered a good candidate for the possible existence of life?
A)Strong evidence suggests that it has a deep,subsurface ocean of liquid water.
B)The Galileo spacecraft found strange seasonal changes on its surface that look like they could be due to life.
C)It is located within our Sun's habitable zone.
D)It has a thick atmosphere with a surface pressure greater than that on Earth.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Strong evidence suggests that Europa has a deep, subsurface ocean of liquid water, which is considered a key ingredient for the potential existence of life. Furthermore, recent research suggests that the ocean may be geologically active and could have hydrothermal vents that may harbor life forms.

Answer: B
 The Galileo spacecraft found strange seasonal changes on Europa's surface that look like they could be due to life. For instance, certain regions showed unusual changes in coloration and morphology that appeared to be related to the presence of organic compounds. However, this evidence is still inconclusive and requires further investigation.

Answer: C 
 Europa is located within our Sun's habitable zone, meaning it is at a distance from our star where conditions may be suitable for the existence of liquid water and, thus, life. However, this does not necessarily mean that life exists on Europa, as other factors such as its composition and history must also be taken into account.

Answer: D
 Europa does not have a thick atmosphere with a surface pressure greater than Earth. In fact, its atmosphere is very thin and composed mostly of molecular oxygen, with trace amounts of other gases such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Therefore, this option is not a good choice for explaining why Europa is considered a good candidate for the possible existence of life.

Why Is Europa Considered a Good Candidate for the Possible