Chapter 9 Flashcards
The best way to find the exact distance to the Moon is to:
bounce lasers off the retroreflectors left on the surface by the Apollo landings
Mercury’s tenuous atmosphere of sodium, magnesium, and potassium comes from:
atoms that have been kicked off the surface by the solar wind
What is true of the lunar highlands?
they are the oldest part of the lunar surface
What is the reason that it is so difficult to view Mercury from Earth?
Mercuary is always very close to the Sun
What causes Mercury’s 3:2 spin-orbit resonance?
All of the above are factors
What is true of the Moon’s orbital and rotational periods?
they are all equal
The rate of cratering in the lunar highlands shows us that:
they range from 4.6-4.4 billion years old, on average
Which type of feature is the best evidence of lunar volcanism?
rilles associated with lava flows accompanying the mare formation
Mercury’s surface most resembles that of which other body?
Moon
Mercury and the Moon appear similar, but we note that:
all the above
Mercury’s Caloris Basin is aptly named, since:
it is the hottest region, turning to face the Sun when Mercuary is at perihelion
What do moonquakes reveal about the Moon?
its small, partially molten core has been pulled toward us by tidal forces
The presence of a Mercurian magnetic field surprised the planetary scientists on the Mariner 10 team because:
the dynamo theory predicted that Mercuary was spinning too slowly for one
Mercury experiences extreme high and low temperatures between night and day because:
it has no true atmosphere to moderate temperatures over the globe
How are the polar regions of Mercury and the Moon similar?
Both seem to have ice pockets in the deepest, darker crater floors.
