My article in the newspaper on Mars…

While getting home, I thought about the following points related to my topic. This then got printed in the newspaper the next day as an article by me.

Part I

The red colour of Mars isn't due to any chemicals being actively "burnt" on the planet. It results from a more passive process called oxidation, explicitly involving the mineral hematite.

Hematite, a form of iron oxide (Fe2O3), is abundant on Mars and is responsible for the rusty red colour we see. When iron-rich rocks and minerals containing oxygen are exposed to the Martian atmosphere, they undergo oxidation, turning them into reddish hematite. This process is very similar to how iron on Earth rusts.

Here's a breakdown of the factors contributing to Mars' red colour:

Iron in Martian rocks: The Martian crust is rich in iron, providing a vast source material for oxidation.

Oxygen in the Martian atmosphere: Although thin compared to Earth's, the Martian atmosphere still contains enough oxygen to oxidize the iron over long per