Tropical Planet Possible?

[steveyboy]

What if a planet had 2 suns? If that's even remotely possible.

It is possible although not proven that our solar system could have 2 suns. Just the other one is a brown dwarf.

I think dual star systems + 3,4,5 stars are more common than single star systems.....

Strange how the universe functions.....

[Archangel Tyrael]

Yeah, considering we currently live only 10 thousand years after the invention of agriculture, who knows what technological advancements will be made in the next 15 thousand years. Even without faster-then-light travel, we could easily have the first colonies outside the solar system by then.



Anyways, as for a totally tropical planet. It's not impossible, but it would require a lot of extremely specific factors. It would have to have a very thick atmosphere capable of evenly distributing heat across the entire planet's surface. It would need to orbit far enough away from the host star to not get too hot. It would have to have air currents capable of distributing water across the entire planet to prevent desertification.

i'm dumb when it comes to this so bear with me...

What temperature runs in the planet within the Glacial Age?

Also - Where can we find absolute zero temperatures in our universe?

[Coombs]

i'm dumb when it comes to this so bear with me...

What temperature runs in the planet within the Glacial Age?

Also - Where can we find absolute zero temperatures in our universe?

No clue on temp in glacial age.

We don't find absolute zero in the universe. The closest is 3Kelvin. Experimentally I think we have only ever been able to get to 0.15 kelvin. We have never reached absolute zero.

[Kasierith]

No clue on temp in glacial age.

We don't find absolute zero in the universe. The closest is 3Kelvin. Experimentally I think we have only ever been able to get to 0.15 kelvin. We have never reached absolute zero.

Wouldn't an atom theoretically fall apart at absolute zero? Absolutely no energy would mean even magnetic forces won't work

[Olianda]

What if a planet wobbled and/or rotated fast enough for heat to be distributed more or less evenly?

Or if there was more than one star heating it...

[Coombs]

Wouldn't an atom theoretically fall apart at absolute zero? Absolutely no energy would mean even magnetic forces won't work

Yea it's the point where all molecular motion stops. I read somewhere about some energy still being in place, but I'm not sure how.

[Spectral]

I think for water to exist as liquid at 200 degrees Celsius it requires a pressure that CO2 would only exist as liquid, so plant life wouldn't fair too well. Not sure on the numbers but, I'm fairly certain that is right.

Looks like you're right -

[Archangel Tyrael]

Yea it's the point where all molecular motion stops. I read somewhere about some energy still being in place, but I'm not sure how.

So basically, absolute zero is just a theoretical concept? It doesn't exist?

[Coombs]

Looks like you're right -

Thanks. Far too busy doing nothing to look that up.

[Kasierith]

Looks like you're right -

What if there was something mixed into the water - an element that at that specific pressure would readily bind to it - causing its phase diagram to shift allowing it to form a liquid? \

So basically, absolute zero is just a theoretical concept? It doesn't exist?

I doubt it. Matter needs some amount of energy to exist as we recognize matter.. no energy means no matter. Would that mean that something that can make things absolute zero would essentially mean a disintegration ray, or something of the sort?

[Coombs]

So basically, absolute zero is just a theoretical concept? It doesn't exist?

I think it exists, it's just dreadfully hard to reach. The 3 kelvin you see in the universe is just residual heat from the big bang.

[Karazee]

What if a planet wobbled and/or rotated fast enough for heat to be distributed more or less evenly?

Then the inhabitants would be dizzy

[Archangel Tyrael]

I think it exists, it's just dreadfully hard to reach. The 3 kelvin you see in the universe is just residual heat from the big bang.

oh nice bit of information !

[Coombs]

What if there was something mixed into the water - an element that at that specific pressure would readily bind to it - causing its phase diagram to shift allowing it to form a liquid?

Salt and other ions offset the boiling and freezing points of water and other solvents (salt both increases boiling point and freezing point). Anything binding to the water would change it from water though. It's not so much the water we are worried about but the CO2 being in the gas phase. Tectonics would also effect the placement of mountains which would effect rain fall distribution.

[Kasierith]

Then the inhabitants would be dizzy

We get dizzy because of our biological makeup (specifically because of our inner ear). If a life form existed on there, the balance would probably be more refined to predict the changes and compensate, rather than serve as an alarm

[ishootblanks]

Given the right conditions, is it possible to have an entire planet be tropical/or nice and warm all year round?

this planet used to fit that description..

[Kasierith]

Salt and other ions offset the boiling and freezing points of water and other solvents (salt both increases boiling point and freezing point). Anything binding to the water would change it from water though. It's not so much the water we are worried about but the CO2 being in the gas phase. Tectonics would also effect the placement of mountains which would effect rain fall distribution.

CO2 in terms of its effect on lifeforms or on the atmosphere? Sorry, I'm used to looking at this on a micro level, not macro

[Deleted]

By Tropical you mean forest? Tropics is a latitude region, not a biodome.

It is possible, but depends on too many factors, so statisticly should be rare.

[Inexorability]

What if the planet was mostly deep ocean? Bodies of water absorb great amounts of heat and moderate climate, so you wouldn't have to have a scorching equator to get tropical poles. You'd just need to send some well-placed swift currents to ensure it all gets mixed up properly. Give your planet an atmosphere full of greenhouse gasses and set it the right distance from its sun and I think that's about as close as you can get to making an all-tropical planet.

[Kasierith]

What if the planet was mostly deep ocean? Bodies of water absorb great amounts of heat and moderate climate, so you wouldn't have to have a scorching equator to get tropical poles. You'd just need to send some well-placed swift currents to ensure it all gets mixed up properly. Give your planet an atmosphere full of greenhouse gasses and set it the right distance from its sun and I think that's about as close as you can get to making an all-tropical planet.

I would think it would eventually boil.. oil has a high heat capacity, but definitely not unlimited, especially if you don't have a way for the heat to escape