| A | B |
|---|
| satellites | natural or artificial bodies that revolve around larger bodies like planets |
| what planets do not have moons? | Mercury and Venus |
| Is a moon a natural satellite? | Yes |
| What is luna? | The moon of the earth |
| How is the composition of the moon different from the earth? | The density of the moon is much less that earth's. The moon has fewer heay elements than the earth has. |
| What did we learn from the lunar raocks brought back by the astronauts? | The composition of the moon is similar to the earth's mantle. |
| How old is the solar system? How old were the rocks brought back from the moon? | 4.6 billion years old. |
| Who was the first geoglist astronaut to walk on the moon? | Harrison Schmidt |
| How can you tell how old the moon is? | By looking at the craters and looking at the lunar rock samples |
| What is a maria? | Large dark areas of lava on the moon |
| Does the moon have atmosphere? | No. This is why we can tell how old the moon is by the number of craters on it |
| What is the current theory about the formation of the moon? | First there was an IMPACT. About 4.6 billion years ago, a large body collided with earth and made part of the earth''s mantle go into space. The debris EJECTED to space and began to revolve around the earth. It consisted of the earth's mantle and iron. All of the junk from the impact began to join together to form the moon. This is called FORMATION. Later, as the moon cooled, other impacts on the moon cause deep basis and lunar lava flowed from the cracks to form lunar maria. |
| Before the astronauts brought back lunar rocks, how did scientists thing the moon was formed? | 1) it was a separate body captured by the earth's gravity; 2) it formed at the same time from the same materials as the earth; 3) the newly formed earth was spinning so fast that a piece flew off and became the moon. |
| What is the short version on the current theory of the formation of the moon? | A large object hit the earth while the earth was still forming. The collision was so violent that part of the earth's mantle was blasted into orbit. |
