Moon Quiz 2: Chapters 2-3

Question 1

accretion

Answer 1

a growth of the earth and its moon from dust and gas occurring side by side in space

Question 2

Roche limit

Answer 2

breakup of a moon occurs within about 2.44 planetary radii of its host planet

Question 3

albedo

Answer 3

name given to the average reflectivity of the moon

Question 4

vernal equinox

Answer 4

the first day of spring, around March 20-22

Question 5

ex nihilio

Answer 5

from no previously existing matter (literally, out of nothing)

Question 6

What are three popular older theories about the origin of the moon?

Answer 6

fission or splitting off of material from earth; capture of an external moon by the earth’s gravity; condensation of nebulous gas and dust at the same time

Question 7

What is the fission theory, and what is Charles Darwin’s connection to it?

Answer 7

A theory that the earth was once molten and spinning rapidly, a growing tidal bulge was occurring because of the sun that was eventually thrown or fissioned from the earth to form the moon, one of Charles Darwin’s son was a champion of this idea.

Question 8

Explain the capture theory and problems with the theory explaining the origin of the moon

Answer 8

A wandering moon passed too close to earth and it was captured in the earth’s gravitation; it isn’t really explaining the origin of the moon if the moon arrived intact; no explanation for the slowing of the moon to enter a permanent earth orbit; no other moons have been observed originating in this way; the high circular orbit of the moon is not the orbit it would have to be if this theory explained the moon’s origins.

Question 9

Explain what the collision theory means.

Answer 9

A chance collision occurred billions of years ago when an object the size of Mars hit the earth, partially melting both and throwing debris.

Question 10

What are the main problems with the collision theory?

Answer 10

the questions of how a ring of debris would form the moon; the Roche limit; and the low probability of celestial objects colliding; How does this explain the dozens of other moons in the solar system?

Question 11

Due to tidal effects, which way is the moon spiraling in relation to the earth - inward or outward?

Answer 11

it spirals slowly outward

Question 12

How does the Roche limit and the increasing distance between the earth and the moon impact the possible age of the earth?

Answer 12

Knowing the moon moves one to two inches away from earth each year shows that if the moon had formed billion of years ago, it would have broken up because of how close it would have been to the earth.

Question 13

What are four solid arguments for the biblical creation occurring as set forth in Genesis?

Answer 13

yom, evening and morning, clear designation of work and rest days, linking of word “days” with the word “years”

Question 14

What is the age of the moon according to secular scientists?

Answer 14

4.6 billion years

Question 15

How do secular scientists calculate the age?

Answer 15

based on radiosotope studies of moon rocks and meteorites

Question 16

What is the half-life (secular dating of billions of years of Carbon 14? of Uranium 235?

Answer 16

5,730 years; 0.704 billion years

Question 17

Why are certain kinds of atoms unstable or radioactive?

Answer 17

Usually because of an excess number of neutrons in their atomic nucleus

Question 18

How is dating by using Carbon 14 different than the other parent elements?

Answer 18

It is limited to a much shorter time scale than other isotopes.

Question 19

What assumptions are made when it comes to radioisotope dating?

Answer 19

What the original composition of the sample was and not knowing what changes may have occurred over the history of the sample.

Question 20

Why does the moon have an ever-growing layer of dust on its surface?

Answer 20

There are no weather elements to move the dust around.

Question 21

The word “influx” refers to what?

Answer 21

the rate of dust on the moon

Question 22

What are some examples of TLPs?

Answer 22

local color changes, glowing clouds, bright spots, streaks of light, hazes, mists, and even measurable quake activity

Question 23

What three lunar craters have been the sites of numerous TLPs?

Answer 23

Aristarchus, Plato, and Alphonsus

Question 24

Why are there still astronaut footprints on the moon?

Answer 24

no liquids or wind exist there to erode the footprints

Question 25

What do debris, avalanches, and cave-ins on the inside walls of a moon crater imply?

Answer 25

extensive weathering on a short time scale

Question 26

What tangible evidence was there for an effect on the moon that occurred with the Apollo 12 moon landing?

Answer 26

the moon vibrated for 55 minutes

Question 27

What characteristic of the moon’s surface allows it to reflect light equally in all directions?

Answer 27

its roughness

Question 28

Why was a 13th month added every three years to the lunar calendar?

Answer 28

to reconcile the difference between the lunar year of 354 days and the year of seasons having 365.25 days

Question 29

What predictable events of the moon allow there to be a lunar calendar?

Answer 29

its motions, phases, and eclipses

Question 30

Does the moon affect our seasons and wether? If so, how?

Answer 30

the moon helps to stabilize the earth’s tilt angle, making seasons less severe and more predictable.

Question 31

How is the moonlight important to the life cycle of a salmon?

Answer 31

These fish undergo cell structure modification during their transition between fresh and salt water. This cell change is found to occur when the moon is new or in its thin crescent phase.

Question 32

How could the moon be an energy source for the earth?

Answer 32

Tidal power stations that use the rise and fall of water to spin turbines similar to the ones at hydroelectric dams.

Question 33

How does the moon protect us from space collissions?

Answer 33

the moon’s gravity attracts many rocks that would otherwise collide with the earth.

Question 34

How often does the moon make a complete revolution around the earth?

Answer 34

27 days

Question 35

How quickly do the earth’s and the moon’s equators move in miles per hour?

Answer 35

1,000 miles per hour; 10 miles per hour