Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Mars is much thinner than that of Earth with a surface pressure averaging 1/200th of Earth's which makes it unbreathable. The atmosphere is as thin as Earth's atmosphere at 100 miles altitude. The atmosphere is made up of 95.3% carbon dioxide, 2.7 nitrogen, 1.6 % argon, and a small amount of other gases. Oxygen, which is so important to us on Earth, makes up only 0.13% of the atmosphere on Mars. In comparison to earth, there is only one fourth as much water vapor in the atmosphere. Although small, this is enough to allow water to be frozen under the surface of the planet. With so little water you rarely see clouds in the Martian sky.

Mars' sky is pinkish in color due to the dust storms. Planet-wide dust storms black out the sky.

Mars has no ozone layer, so radiation can kill living things.

 

Composition of the Martian Atmosphere

Gas

Proportion

Carbon Dioxide - CO2

95.32%

Nitrogen - N2

2.7%

Argon - Ar

1.6%

Oxygen - O2

0.13%

Carbon Monoxide - CO

0.07%

Water Vapor - H2O

0.03%

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