Answer:
Mercury:
• Temperature: Very high temperatures on the day side (+430°C) and extremely cold on the night side (-180°C).
• Water: Almost no water vapor in its extremely thin atmosphere.
• Atmosphere: Thin atmosphere composed mainly of oxygen, sodium, hydrogen, helium, and potassium.
• Energy: Receives intense solar radiation due to its proximity to the Sun.
• Nutrients: No evidence of organic compounds or nutrients that could support life.
Life Check:
• Mercury: Unlikely. Extreme temperatures and lack of water and organic molecules make life highly improbable.
Venus:
• Temperature: Extremely high surface temperatures (+470°C), making it the hottest planet in the solar system.
• Water: No liquid water due to high surface temperatures causing rapid evaporation.
• Atmosphere: Thick atmosphere with carbon dioxide (96%), nitrogen (3.5%), and traces of sulfur dioxide.
• Energy: Also receives intense solar radiation; surface conditions are hostile to life as we know it.
• Nutrients: No evidence of nutrients or organic molecules that could support life.
Life Check:
• Venus: Unlikely. Extreme heat, acidic clouds, and lack of water rule out habitability for known forms of life.
Reason:
Both Mercury and Venus lack the essential conditions necessary to support life as we know it on Earth. Their extreme temperatures, lack of liquid water, and hostile atmospheric conditions make them inhospitable environments.
