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ch.1 astronomy > ch.7 > Flashcards

ch.7 Flashcards

(62 cards)

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1
Q

What is the size comparison of the Moon to Earth?

A

The Moon is about 1/4th the size of Earth.

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2
Q

What is the gravity of the Moon compared to Earth?

A

The Moon has 1/6th of Earth’s gravity.

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3
Q

What major geological activity is absent on the Moon?

A

The Moon has no plate tectonics or volcanic activity.

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4
Q

What are the two major surface features of the Moon?

A
  • Highlands
  • Maria
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5
Q

What are highlands on the Moon?

A

Bright, rugged areas covered with craters.

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6
Q

What are maria on the Moon?

A

Dark, smooth plains formed by ancient volcanic activity.

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7
Q

What are craters?

A

Circular features with raised rims, created by impacts.

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8
Q

What are rays on the Moon?

A

Light streaks of rock material radiating from craters.

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9
Q

Why does the Moon not have an atmosphere?

A

Because of a lack of volcanic activity and weak gravity.

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10
Q

What causes tides on Earth?

A

Differential gravitational force from the Moon.

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11
Q

What are spring tides?

A

Tides that occur during the new moon and full moon.

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12
Q

What are neap tides?

A

Tides that occur during the first and third quarter moons.

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13
Q

How many times does the Moon rotate on its axis in one orbital period?

A

Only once.

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14
Q

Why do we always see only one side of the Moon?

A

Because the Moon is tidally locked with the Earth.

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15
Q

What is regolith?

A

A layer of broken, pulverized, and powdered rock on the Moon.

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16
Q

What is the primary material found in the Moon’s maria?

A

Basalt.

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17
Q

What is the average thickness of the Moon’s crust?

A

About 100 km.

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18
Q

What is the composition of the Moon’s crust?

A

Silicate rocks rich in aluminum and poor in iron.

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19
Q

What is the Large Impact Hypothesis?

A

The theory that the Moon formed from debris blasted out of Earth by a Mars-sized body.

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20
Q

What is synchronous rotation?

A

The Moon keeps the same face toward the Earth as it orbits.

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21
Q

What is the average distance of the Moon from the Earth?

A

Approximately 380,000 km.

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22
Q

What is the Moon’s average density?

A

3.3 g/cm³.

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23
Q

How do we determine the Moon’s distance with precision?

A

By bouncing a radar pulse or laser beam off the Moon.

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24
Q

What are the two main hypotheses about the Moon’s origin before the Apollo missions?

A
  • Capture theory
  • Twin formation theory
  • Fission theory
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25
What is the Moon's core primarily composed of?
Little iron and nickel.
26
What effect does the Moon's gravitational force have on Earth's oceans?
It creates tidal bulges on the sides facing and opposite the Moon.
27
True or False: The Moon has a significant magnetic field.
False.
28
What is the main reason the Moon lacks an atmosphere?
Insufficient gravity to retain gases.
29
What geological features does not exist on the Moon?
Scarp.
30
What causes extreme temperature changes on the Moon?
The lack of an atmosphere.
31
How many high tides and low tides occur every day on Earth?
Two high tides and two low tides.
32
What is the primary material in the Moon's highlands?
Anorthosite.
33
When did the collision that formed the Moon occur?
At least 4.5 billion years ago
34
What is the differential gravitational force?
The difference in gravitational force from one side of an object to the other
35
What does the Moon's gravitational force cause in the oceans?
A tidal bulge on the sides facing and opposite the Moon
36
How many high tides and low tides occur every day?
Two high and two low tides
37
What type of tides occur when the Sun and Moon line up?
Spring tides
38
What type of tides occur with the Moon at first or third quarter?
Neap tides
39
The distance to the Moon is closest to _______.
An AU
40
Which of the following is not a geological feature found on the Moon?
Scarp
41
What is the primary material in the Moon's Maria?
Basalt
42
What is regolith?
A layer of broken, pulverized, and powdered rock on the Moon's surface
43
Why do plate tectonics occur on Earth but not on the Moon?
The Moon is smaller than the Earth
44
What is the primary reason the Moon lacks an atmosphere?
The Moon lacks sufficient gravity to retain an atmosphere
45
Which statement about the Moon is true?
The Moon is in synchronous rotation as it orbits the Earth
46
Why does the Moon have almost no magnetic field?
It rotates very slowly
47
If high tide is at noon, the next high tide will be at _______.
Midnight
48
If the Moon were farther from the Earth, the tides would be _______.
Less tall all the time
49
How many times does the Moon rotate on its axis in one orbital period?
Only once
50
Why do we always see only one side of the Moon?
Because the moon is tidally locked with the Earth
51
The Moon rotates exactly once each time it orbits the Earth. Because of this, _______.
We always see only one side of the Moon
52
When Earth becomes tidally locked with the Moon, which statement will be true?
The Moon will always be visible only from one side of the Earth
53
Planetary scientists believe the Moon was most likely a nearby small planet gravitationally captured by the Earth. True or False?
False
54
The Earth's rotation is being gradually slowed by the Moon's gravity. True or False?
True
55
The Sun causes tides on the Earth. True or False?
True
56
Solar tides are not as strong as lunar tides mostly because _______.
The Sun is much farther away than the Moon
57
Until we sent missions into space, no one on Earth had seen the far side of the Moon. True or False?
True
58
The Moon's crust is essentially symmetric around the Moon, but is thinner near the poles. True or False?
False
59
We can think of the high tide on the side of the Earth opposite the Moon as a result of _______.
The Moon pulling the Earth away from the water
60
The spectrum of sunlight reflected from the Moon's surface indicates the presence of various gases in the Moon's atmosphere. True or False?
False
61
The spring tides occur in spring seasons and the neap tides in autumn. True or False?
False
62
Because of its distance, the Sun does not have any effect on Earth's ocean tides. True or False?
False

ch.1 astronomy (15 decks)

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