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Earth, Moon & Sun - The Moon
Astronomy GCSE
21
Science
10th Grade
02/22/2017

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Cards

Term
What is a Moon?
Definition
The natural satelite of a planet - a body of mass orbiting its planet.
Term
Does the Earth's Moon have an atmosphere?
Definition
No. It may have had one at some point but its gravity was too weak to keep hold of it.
Term
What is the Moon's diameter?
Definition
3476 km.
Term
What is the average distance of the Earth from the Moon?
Definition
384,000 km.
Term
What is the Moons orbit around the Earth?
Definition
27.32 days.
Term
How much of the Moon's surface is classed as Mare (Sea)?
Definition
Approximately 17% of the lunar surface.
Term
What is Terrae?
Definition
The collective name for highlands – bright areas that are higher on the Moon’s surface than maria.
Term
How is Maria formed?
Definition

1. Object impacts on the moon

2. This creates a crater

3. Lava flows into the crater

4. Lava cools to form flat maria

Term
What is the Sea of Tranquility best known for?
Definition
For being the landing site of the first manned landing, Apollo 11.
Term
What is the moons Rotational Period?
Definition
27.3 days
Term
What is the moons Orbital Period?
Definition
27.3 days.
Term
What does the term Synchronous (captured) Rotation mean?
Definition
The moon keeps the same side / face towards the body it orbits. This means that from Earth, only one side / face can be seen.
Term
When did Astronomers find out what the far side of the moon looked like?
Definition
We did not know what the far side looked like until the Soviet Luna 3 Probe took pictures of it in 1959.
Term
What percentage of the Earths Gravity is that of the moon?
Definition
Just over 16.6%.
Term
Who were the first to land on the moon?
Definition
Apollo 11 was the first to land on the moon. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first to explore the surface while Michael Colling orbited above them in a command module.
Term
Describe the Condensation / Co-Formation Theory of the formation of the Moon.
Definition

EXPLANATION: Gravity would have caused the material in the early solar system to draw together at the same time as gravity bound particles together to form Earth. 

PROOF: The Moon is in the same place as the Earth.

DISPROOF: The Moon is much less dense than the Earth.

Term
Describe the Capture Hypothesis of the formation of the Moon.
Definition

EXPLANATION: A rock formed somewhere else in the Solar System which was drawn into orbit around the Earth.

PROOF: This theory would explain the differences in the composition of the moon.

DISPROOF: The orbits don't line up with the parent planet.

Term
Describe the Fission Hypothesis of the formation of the Moon.
Definition

EXPLANATION: It came from George Darwin (son of Charles Darwin), he said that the moon must have brocken away from our planet when the Earth was still a ball of molten rock.

PROOF: This accounts for the low density of iron in the moon.

DISPROOF: This process requires 4 times the observed angular momentum of the current Earth Moon system.

Term
Describe the Giant Impact Hypothesis of the formation of the Moon.
Definition

EXPLANATION: The moon formed of material blasted into space when a planet sized body slammed into the newly formed Earth 4.4 billion years ago, known as Theia, the Mars sized body collided with the Earth to form the moon.

PROOF: This is the most accepted hypothesis.

Term
How long does light take from the Earth to reach the Moon?
Definition
About a second and a half.
Term
Why is the Moon responsible for tides on the Earth?
Definition
Because the Moon has a gravitational pull on the Earth.
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