Moon Quiz 1: Chapter 1 Flashcards
breccias
rocks composed of small rock fragments, glass, and soil that have been compacted into cohesive rocks.
liberation
the “rocking” slightly back and forth of the moon in orbit
sidereal period
the moon’s rotation time with respect to the stars (approximately 27 1/2 days)
synodic period
the time from one full moon to the next (approximately 29 1/2 days)
spring tides
tides are higher during the full moon and new moon phases when there is a lineup between the sun, earth, and moon and the gravity of both objects and then contribute to the tidal pull on the earth
What is a moon?
Any natural satellite that orbits a planet that holds it captive by the planet’s gravity force. It moves in a continuous elliptical orbit
What three Hebrew words refer to the moon in the Old Testament?
hōdesh, ya-reah, lebana
What is the Greek word for “moon” in the New Testament, and what does it mean?
selene; white one
What does the word “centripetal” mean?
center-seeking
What do physical laws say about the universe
It is orderly and constant. It is not something that changes over time but has been in existence since the beginning.
How large is the moon?
one-quarter the size of the earth; diameter of 2,160 miles or 3,475 km; 81 times smaller than the earth
Why is the size of the moon considered to be unusual compared to other moons we see in our solar system?
Our moon is considered large in terms of proportion of size in ration to earth when compared to other planets with moons in our solar system.
What are some of the previous theories on what created lunar craters? What is the predominate idea of their origin today?
volcanic activity, giant gas bubbles, and collapsed sinkholes; impact craters
Why do crystalline rocks hint about the moon’s history?
a rapid cooling of the surface at some point
What shape are lunar rocks
sharply angular
What two things are missing from the moon that would help with the possibility of life?
life-building carbon and free oxygen
What causes the moon phase?
They are a result of our partial view of the sunlit portion of the moon.
When does a lunar eclipse occur?
When the earth is lined up exactly between the sun and the moon.
What causes the earth’s tides?
Mainly the pull of the moon’s gravity and a smaller amount of the sun’s gravity.
Which American president in 1961 set the national goal of a manned moon exploration?
President John F. Kennedy
Where on the moon’s surface did Astronaut Neil Armstrong take his first steps on July 20, 1969?
Sea of Tranquility
Are there marked similarities among the moons of our solar system that would suggest a common spontaneous origin?
No - each is unique
What was one extreme method NASA used to try and find water molecules on the moon?
deliberately crashing two probes into the lunar surface
Why was the South Pole of the moon a target for probes trying to find water on the moon?
Some felt frozen water might have accumulated there deep within craters that are not reached by sunlight and it is persistently cold.
