Chapter 10- The Moon
9a) Before the Apollo missions to the Moon, there were two diametrically opposed schools of thought about the history of lunar geology. The "cold moon" theory held that all lunar surface features were the result of impacts. The most violent impacts melted the surface rock, which then solidified to form the maria. The opposite "hot moon" theory held that all lunar feature -- including maria, mountains, and craters -- were the result of volcanic activity. Now that we have information from lunar rock samples, what criticisms can you make of the "cold moon" theory?
-The compositions of the maria and the highlands are not the same. -The denser materials of the maria can holy have come from inside the Moon.
2(5) The collisional ejection theory is considered the most likely theory of the Moon's formation because it can explain which of the following observations about the Moon?
All of the above. -Its mass relative to Earth. -Its density relative to Earth. -Its Iron and water concentration relative to Earth.
4(3) Only one person (the American astronaut Neil Armstrong) has ever walked on the Moon.
False
1(9) The Moon's diameter is about equal to the distance (along the Earth's surface) between New York City and which other city?
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
1(8) Put the following lengths in the correct order: the diameter of the Earth, the diameter of the Moon, the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
Moon diameter, Earth diameter, Earth-Moon distance
13) Why do most scientists favor the collisional ejection theory of the Moon's formation?
Most scientists favor the collision theory because this theory accounts for all the facts, such as the Moon's composition and nearly circular orbit, better and more naturally than do the other theories. A theory that simultaneously solves problems of the similarities and differences between Earth and the Moon is a superior theory.
8b) What evidence do we have that the Moon's interior is not completely solid?
Our seismic studies have detected Moonquakes, these require movement that could not happen in a completely solid interior.
2(4) Which of the following statements is true? -Scientists test theories by consulting the writing of Greek philosophers. -Scientists test theories by comparing the theories' predictions to observations of the universe. -Scientists test theories by choosing the theory that make sense. -Scientists test theories by voting for the correct theory.
Scientists test theories by comparing the theories' predictions to observations of the universe.
10) How do Earth rocks and Moon rocks compare?
The Moon rocks contain no water, whereas all Earth rocks contain some water. In addition, Moon rocks are basalt or anorthosite, whereas some Earth rocks are carbonate.
11) Rock found on the Moon are between 3.1 and 4.47 billion year old. By contrast, the majority of Earth's surface is made of oceanic crust that is less than 200 million years old, and the very oldest Earth rocks are about 4 billion years old. If Earth and the Moon are essentially the same age, why is there such a disparity in the ages of the rocks on the two worlds?
The Moon's surface has been essentially unchanged for billions of year, but Earth's surface is being continually re-formed. The oceanic crust, in particular, is subducted at plate boundaries and replenished at mid-ocean ridges.
9b) Now that we have information from lunar rock samples, what criticisms can you make of the "hot moon" theory?
The impact breccias are certainly not volcanic.
2(2) There are many different lines of evidence that can be used to test theories of how the Moon was formed.
True
2(3) The collisional ejection theory says that the Moon formed as a result of an object the size of Mars colliding with the Earth.
True
4(1) The Moon exploration program was begun for political reasons as well as scientific reasons.
True
4(2) Evidence that astronauts really did walk on the Moon can be seen clearly in videos that they took at the time.
True
8a) What evidence do we have that the Moon had a more solid interior than does Earth?
We have done seismic wave studies of the Moon as we have of Earth, and the results suggest a more solid interior for the Moon.
1(7) How much of the Moon do we NEVER see from the surface of the Earth?
about half
4(4) How did American scientists select the best possible landing sites for human missions to the Moon?
by photographing most of the Moon's surface from an orbiting robotic spacecraft.
15) A mare is a(n)
lava floodplain covering the floor of an ancient asteroid impact basin.
4(5) Who sent robotic missions to the Moon?
the United States, the Soviet Union, Japan, and the European Space Agency. (& China)
1(10) Which of the following characteristics of the Moon is caused by the pull gravity from the Earth?
the time the Moon takes to orbit the Earth
