The Moon Flashcards

1
Q

What is the Moon’s diameter?

A

3500 km

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2
Q

What is the Moon’s approximate distance from Earth?

A

380,000 km

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3
Q

What is the moon’s rotational and orbital period?

A

27.3 days

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4
Q

Why is the far side of the Moon not visible from Earth?

A

As the rotational period is equal to it’s orbital period, therefore it rotates as it orbits around, showing only one side.

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5
Q

Where is the Tycho Crater?

A

Large crater at the bottom of the visible side of the moon.

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6
Q

Where is the Sea of Crises?

A

Dark area on the far right side of the visible side of the Moon.

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7
Q

Where is the Sea of Tranquility?

A

Large dark area to the left of the Sea of Crises.

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8
Q

Where is the Ocean of Storms?

A

Dark are of the far left of the visible side of the Moon

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9
Q

Where is the Copernicus crater?

A

Crater (appears white) to the right of the Ocean of storms near the middle of the visible side of the Moon

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10
Q

Where are the Apennine Mountains?

A

Mountain range near the centre of the visible side of the Moon.

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11
Q

What are maria?

A

Dark, flat, large ‘seas’.

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12
Q

What are impact craters?

A

Circular craters.

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13
Q

What are terrae?

A

White, rough areas on the Moon.

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14
Q

What are Rilles?

A

Look like the path of a river down a mountain from a birds eye view - squiggly lines.

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15
Q

What are wrinkle ridges?

A

Looks like many wrinkles packed together parallel.

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16
Q

Why were Terrae formed?

A

Planet solidifying.

17
Q

Why were Maria formed?

A

Solidified lava plains.

18
Q

Why were wrinkle ridges and rilles formed?

A

Wrinkle ridges - due to lava plains solidifying

Rilles - ‘collapsed lava tube’

19
Q

Why does the moon have a low gravity?

A

As it has a lack of atmosphere.

20
Q

What is the purpose of the Apollo space programme?

A

To land on the Moon.

21
Q

What happened from Apollo 12 onwards?

A

The ALSEP’s experimental packages.

22
Q

What did the ALSEP’s experimental packages involve?

A
  • Measuring lunar distance
  • Measuring solar wind
  • Presence of micrometeorites
  • Minute changes in Lunar gravity
  • The structure of the Moon’s interior
  • Composition and pressure of lunar atmosphere
23
Q

What is the likely origin of the Moon?

A

The giant impact hypothesis.

24
Q

What is the giant impact hypothesis?

A
  • Young Earth hit by large object - broke off outer layers of Earth
  • Gravity forms 2 object - Earth + Moon
25
Q

What evidence is there for the giant impact hypothesis?

A

Rock samples from moon:

  • Relative abundance of oxygen isotopes is identical to Moon
  • lack of volatiles on Moon - high energies during impact vaporised volatiles
  • KREEP rich rocks (K (potassium) Rare Earth Elements + Phosphorus found on Moon