Previous Year Question
Methane is present in the atmosphere of
Moon
Sun
Jupiter
Mars
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
In the context of the examination, the correct answer is (c) Jupiter.
Jupiter's atmosphere consists mainly of hydrogen and helium, while methane (CH₄) is also present in smaller quantities.
Methane strongly absorbs sunlight at certain wavelengths, particularly in the near-infrared region. Therefore, methane absorption bands are used to study Jupiter's atmosphere and cloud structure.
The Moon does not possess a permanent dense atmosphere comparable to that of a planet, while the Sun is a star composed of extremely hot plasma.
Current context: There is an important update to this old question. NASA's Curiosity rover has detected very small and varying amounts of methane near Gale Crater on Mars. On the other hand, ESA's Trace Gas Orbiter has not detected methane in the broader Martian atmosphere. Therefore, according to present scientific knowledge, Mars cannot simply be described as completely methane-free.