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Posted

Question 1:

Under what circumstances involving external influences could life develop on a planet made entirely of gallium? What could be the properties of these lifeforms? How would the results differ based on the physical state of the gallium?

 

Question 2:
Same question, but what if it were instead mercury? Again, what properties would this life possess, and how would the results differ between the states of matter?

 

Question 3:

What if it were a mixture of gallium and mercury? Again, what would this life look like, and how would the state of matter influence the results?

 

Question 3.1:

How would the results differ between varying concentrations of gallium or mercury?

Posted

I guess a lot would depend on the reason WHY, and HOW, a whole planet could be formed of Gallium or Mercury.
Don't you think the conditions that allowed this might, somehow, affect the development ( or not ) of life ?

Also do you mean a little, mostly, or 100% Gallium or Mercury ?
If the latter, then you haven't really thought the OP through.
( eg. What would any possible life consume ? What would it excrete ?? What would it be composed of ??? )

Posted
  On 11/17/2020 at 5:25 PM, MigL said:

I guess a lot would depend on the reason WHY, and HOW, a whole planet could be formed of Gallium or Mercury.
Don't you think the conditions that allowed this might, somehow, affect the development ( or not ) of life ?

Also do you mean a little, mostly, or 100% Gallium or Mercury ?
If the latter, then you haven't really thought the OP through.
( eg. What would any possible life consume ? What would it excrete ?? What would it be composed of ??? )

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Any mechanism of formation which results in 100% percent of the element in question, respectively, is acceptable for the thought experiment. 

Posted
  On 11/17/2020 at 6:03 PM, MigL said:

So, no natural process ...

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Perhaps no currently known natural process. This is all about hypothesis anyway, however, so don't be afraid to think outside the box. According to what we know of currently detailed natural processes, what might be the hypothetical prerequisites and/or consequences of an event such as this?

Posted

Again, this would not happen 'naturally'.
So, whoever did this 'artificially', could populate the planet with penguins and cats.
( but they wouldn't last very long )

Posted
  On 11/17/2020 at 4:59 PM, Anchovyforestbane said:

Question 1:

Under what circumstances involving external influences could life develop on a planet made entirely of gallium? What could be the properties of these lifeforms? How would the results differ based on the physical state of the gallium?

 

Question 2:
Same question, but what if it were instead mercury? Again, what properties would this life possess, and how would the results differ between the states of matter?

 

Question 3:

What if it were a mixture of gallium and mercury? Again, what would this life look like, and how would the state of matter influence the results?

 

Question 3.1:

How would the results differ between varying concentrations of gallium or mercury?

Expand  

This sounds just like my kids when they were little.

Hey dad, what would you do if you saw a dinosaur?

Posted
  On 11/17/2020 at 8:38 PM, J.C.MacSwell said:

What chemical interactions could take place?

Wouldn't there be nothing but changes in state? 

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As I said; circumstances involving external influences. Collisions with other astral bodies, solar winds, photochemistry; all these are things to consider.

 

 

  On 11/17/2020 at 8:47 PM, Bufofrog said:

This sounds just like my kids when they were little.

Hey dad, what would you do if you saw a dinosaur?

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If I had overheard your kids mentally experimenting with the limits of conceptual astrobiology, I would've been very impressed indeed.

 

  On 11/17/2020 at 8:51 PM, Phi for All said:
!

Moderator Note

Moved from Physics to The Lounge.

 
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👍

Posted
  On 11/17/2020 at 8:58 PM, Anchovyforestbane said:

As I said; circumstances involving external influences. Collisions with other astral bodies, solar winds, photochemistry; all these are things to consider.

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Photochemistry still requires some other element. 

Your “external influence” has to be “introduction of a bunch of different chemicals”

Posted
  On 11/17/2020 at 9:27 PM, swansont said:

Photochemistry still requires some other element. 

Your “external influence” has to be “introduction of a bunch of different chemicals”

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I fully recognize this. Anything that introduces reactive substances capable of forming complex chemistries is open for discussion.

Posted (edited)
  On 11/17/2020 at 8:58 PM, Anchovyforestbane said:

As I said; circumstances involving external influences. Collisions with other astral bodies, solar winds, photochemistry; all these are things to consider.

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Bumped in a collision to an Earth-like orbit around a Sun-like star...accumulation of asteroids until an Earth-like surface is obtained....

I realize that is more than a little "inside the box"(timing aside)...so how far from the box can one stray?

Edited by J.C.MacSwell
Posted
  On 11/17/2020 at 9:41 PM, J.C.MacSwell said:

Bumped in a collision to an Earth-like orbit around a Sun-like star...accumulation of asteroids until an Earth-like surface is obtained....

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Perhaps this could happen, but the surface wouldn't be as Earth-like as you might think; due to the low melting points of the gallium and mercury, asteroid collisions would be messy, and even if it wasn't the chemical proportions would be vastly different to that of earth.
That said, what do you think would be the geochemical properties of a body such as this? How long would it take to form an atmosphere/exosphere, if it ever does, and how do you think its meteorology would behave? How do you think these properties would vary depending on stellar and interstellar winds?
Getting a little more creative: do you think anything scientifically classifiable as life could form in this circumstance? If not, why not? If so, what could be its properties?

  On 11/17/2020 at 9:41 PM, J.C.MacSwell said:

I realize that is more than a little "inside the box"(timing aside)...so how far from the box can one stray?

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As long it is scientifically comprehensible and relevant to the concept being discussed, it is open for discussion.

Posted

Just doing quick mental calculations ...

Mercury solidifies at a pressure of 14 Kilobar, which is approx. 14000 standard atms.
That is equivalent to approx. 420 000 in of Mercury, which is 35 000 ft, or approx. 6.5 miles.
IOW your hypothetical planet would have a Mercury 'sea', 6.5 miles deep, surrounding a solid orb of Mercury.

Not sure about Gallium, as it expands when 'frozen' ( like water ).

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