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Chapter 10: Problem 15

Describe the evidence that (a) the Moon has a more solid interior than the Earth and (b) the Moon's interior is not completely solid.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The Moon has a more solid interior than Earth as evidenced by its less seismic activity and the old lunar rocks collected from the moon missions. Despite being more solid, the Moon's interior is not entirely solid, as the moonquakes registered by the Apollo seismic experiments, and the partial molten zone detected around the Moon's core attest.

Step by step solution

01

Introduction: Understanding the Geological Features of the Moon

The moon and Earth, as celestial bodies, have different geological features. This is due to their volume, mass, and distance from the sun, among other factors. Geological evidence such as seismic activity data, samples from lunar missions, and magnetic field measurements provide insights into the inner structures of both the Earth and the Moon.
02

Moon Having a More Solid Interior Than Earth

The Moon's seismic activity measured during the Apollo missions indicated less activity compared to the Earth. Moreover, samples brought from the lunar missions showed that moon rocks were very old compared to most rocks on Earth, indicating that there hasn't been extensive volcanic activity on the Moon for a very long time. This suggests the moon doesn't have as much molten material in its interior as Earth does, meaning it is more solid.
03

Moon's Interior Is Not Completely Solid

Despite being more solid, the Moon’s interior is not completely solid. Again, the Apollo seismic experiments placed instruments on the Moon's surface that detected moonquakes. These small quakes and the ways that seismic waves pass through the Moon give evidence of a small, partially molten zone around the Moon's core. This indicates that the Moon, while more solid than Earth, is not completely solid.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

No Apollo mission landed on the far side of the Moon. Why do you suppose this was? What would have been the scientific benefits of a mission to the far side?

Rocks found on the Moon are between \(3.1\) and \(4.47\) billion years old. By contrast, the majority of the Earth's surface is made of oceanic crust that is less than 200 million years old, and the very oldest Earth rocks are about 4 billion years old. If the Earth and Moon are essentially the same age, why is there such a disparity in the ages of rocks on the two worlds?

Observe the Moon through a telescope every few nights over a period of two weeks between new moon and full moon. Make sketches of various surface features, such as craters, mountain ranges, and maria. How does the appearance of these features change with the Moon's phase? Which features are most easily seen at a low angle of illumination? Which features show up best with the Sun nearly overhead?

Why does the sky look black on the Moon even during daytime?

Why is the Earth geologically active while the Moon is not?
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