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List all the characteristics you can think of about the moon? Earth’s Moon! Ch. 28 Formation of the Moon Giant Impact Hypothesis The giant impact hypothesis states that the formation of the moon began when a large object collided with Earth more than 4 billion years ago. Formation of the Moon The collision ejected chunks of Earth’s mantle into orbit around Earth. The debris eventually clumped together to form the moon. This hypothesis explains when moon rocks share many of the chemical characteristics of Earth’s mantle. Formation of the Moon The debris eventually orbited the Earth and became our moon. Formation of the Moon The Moon satellite - a natural or artificial body that revolves around planet. moon - a body that revolves around a planet and that has less mass than the planet does. Seven of the planets in our solar system have natural satellites, or moons. Our moon is Earth’s satellite. Natural or Artificial? The Lunar Surface Any feature on the moon is referred to as LUNAR mare - large, dark area of basalt on the moon The light patches seen on the moon’s surface are called anorthosites. The darker areas are called maria. Maria are plains of dark, solidified lava which formed more than 3 billion years ago when lava slowly filled basins that were created by massive asteroids. Lunar Surface crater a bowl-shaped depression that forms on the surface of an object when a falling body strikes the object’s surface or when an explosion occurs Remember our Impact crater lab?? Rilles and Ridges Rilles are long, deep channels that run through the maria. Rilles are thought to be leftover lava channels from the formation of the maria. The moon’s surface also has several ridges, which are long, narrow elevations of rock that rise out of the surface and criss-cross the maria. Name two features of the moon??? Name two features of the moon???? The moon’s features include maria, craters, ridges, and rilles. Regolith The moon’s surface is very susceptible to meteorite hits because the moon has no atmosphere for protection. Over billions of years, these meteorites crushed much of the rock on the moon’s surface into a layer of dust and small fragments called regolith. 1 to 6 meters deep Lunar Rocks Lunar rocks are igneous, and most rocks near the surface are composed mainly of oxygen and silicon. Rocks from the maria are fine-grained basalts and contain titanium, magnesium, and iron. Breccia is found in both maria and the highlands. Lunar breccia formed when meteorites struck the moon. The Moon’s Layers Like, Earth, the moon has three compositional layers: the crust, the mantle, and the core. The interior of the moon is less dense than the interior of earth. Differentiation of the Moon Early in its history, the lunar surface was covered by an ocean of molten rock. Over time, the densest materials moved toward the center of the moon and formed a small core. The least dense materials formed an outer crust. Moon’s Crust The side of the moon that faces Earth is called the near side, while the side of the moon that faces away from Earth is called the far side. The crust on the near side is about 60 km thick. The crust on the far side is up to 100 km thick. The difference in thickness was caused by the pull of Earth’s gravity during the formation of the moon. The Moon’s Mantle and Core Beneath the crust is the moon’s mantle. The mantle is thought to be made of rock that is rich in silica, magnesium, and iron. Scientists think that the moon has a small iron core that has a radius of less than 700 km. Neither completely solid or completely liquid Lava Flows on the Moon After impacts on the moon’s surface formed deep basins, lava flowed out of cracks, or fissures, in the lunar crust. This lava flooded the crater basins to form maria. Because of the uneven thickness of the moon’s crust, more maria formed on the near side of the moon than on the far side. Review Quiz: 1. What is the name of the hypothesis that suggests how Earth’s moon was formed? Great Impact Hypothesis 2. How many planets in our solar system have moons? seven 3. The darker areas on the lunar surface are called what? Maria
