Which specific iron oxide provides the deep, characteristic red tint to Mars?
Answer
Hematite ($ ext{Fe}_2 ext{O}_3$)
While the surface materials are complex mixtures involving various iron-bearing minerals, the primary culprit responsible for imparting the deep, characteristic red tint to Mars is hematite. Hematite is a specific type of iron oxide with the chemical formula $ ext{Fe}_2 ext{O}_3$. Its formation represents a stable, fully oxidized end stage of iron corrosion under certain environmental conditions. The sheer ubiquity of hematite across the surface material, or Martian regolith, confirms it as the main source of the planet's nickname, the Red Planet.
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