Review Questions 22B 1-8 (Earth Science)

How do we know about the moon's interior?

Apollo astronauts placed seismometers on the moon's surface that measure moonquakes and seismic waves. Geologists use this data to model the moon's interior.

(True or False) The lunar seas are broad plains of frozen water.

False

According to lunar geologists, how do most maria form.

Geologists believe that most maria formed when mantle magma filled huge asteroid-impact craters.

Do geologists believe that all the moons riles form the same way? Explain.

No. Geologists believe that some rilles formed as grabens in rift zones, others by the collapse of lava tubes, and still others by shrinkage of cooling magma.

Why is the moon nearly spherical?

The moon is almost a perfect sphere most likely because it spins slowly on its axis, creating little equatorial bulging.

In what two ways is the moon's thin atmosphere replenished?

The moon's atmosphere is likely replenished by gases escaping from the interior and by collisions of particles in the solar wind releasing gases from surface matter.

How do rays around certain craters form?

The rays around certain craters appear to have formed when meteorites blasted out light-colored debris at impact.

What do we call the nearly spherical depressions on the moon's surface? Who gave them that name? How did they form?

Those features on the moon's surface are called craters, a name first given by Galileo. Craters are most likely formed by the impact of space rocks on the moon's surface.