QUESTION:
Could we change CO2 to O2 on Mars?

ANSWER from Cathy Davis on January 10, 1997:
Actually, people talk about increasing the amount of carbon dioxide. 
This would increase the air temperature to make it more habitable. 
Plants could then convert the carbon dioxide to oyxgen and food.

ANSWER from Cathy Davis on January 24, 1997:
Yes, many have talked about using plants to support life on Mars. Mars receives
about half the sunlight we receive at Earth. Since there are small amounts of
water on Mars, hydrogen can be produced for use as a fuel for propulsion.

ANSWER from Geoff Briggs on January 31, 1997:
There is a way of producing oxygen from the atmosphere of Mars that is
mainly made up of carbon dioxide molecules. This process is called solid
oxide electrolysis. You can find the information you need from a web site
that is part of my laboratory. The web address is
http://ares.ame.arizona.edu