Moon and Mercury HW

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School

Nassau Community College *

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Course

101

Subject

Astronomy

Date

Jan 9, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

3

Uploaded by DoctorTreeGoldfish41

Define the following 1. Spring tide- When the sun and moon are in a perfect alignment, they pull together to create the greatest and lowest tides of the year, respectively. They happen twice a month, on the new and full moons. When the sun, moon, and Earth form a straight line, we experience spring tides. 2. Neap tide- When the sun and moon are perpendicular to Earth, we experience a low tide known as a neap tide. 3. Roche’s Limit- A celestial body held together exclusively by its own gravity will disintegrate if it comes into contact with another celestial body with tidal forces stronger than the first body's gravitational self-attraction within the Roche limit, also known as the Roche radius. 4. Maria- The moon's maria are the moon's lowlands. Because early lunar observers mistook them for vast oceans, these regions are known as maria. 5. Crater- The bowl-shaped vent at the summit or side of a volcano or geyser from which molten rock and steam are released is called a crater. A meteorite or bomb explosion may also leave a crater with the same general shape. Craters are circular or polygonal walled structures on the moon and other planets, perhaps created by volcanic activity or the impact of meteorites. 6. Basin- Impacts by large craters. 7. Scarp- A small piece of something that was left over. 8. Spin Orbit Coupling- When a particle with a spin greater than zero orbits an area with a limited electric field, a relativistic process known as spin-orbit coupling takes place. 9. How can you determine the relative ages of the Moon’s maria and highlands? Radiometric dating, crater density, and the amount of lava flows may all be used to determine how long ago the Maria and highland regions of the Moon formed. Crater density is also useful, with older craters appearing faint on images and newer craters seeming dark, and the density at particular places would aid in understanding the age connection, as we all know that radioactive decay provides the parent age by knowing half lives. 10. How can you determine that the crater Copernicus is a young crater? It sits atop a mare and emits luminous beams of ejecta in all directions. 11. What evidence can you cite that Mercury has a molten core? Mercury's dipole magnetic field is quite feeble. 12. What is the difference between spring tides and neap tides? Tides may be classified as either "spring" or "neap" depending on the relative orientation of the sun and moon. The difference between the highest and lowest tides is largest during the spring, while it is the smallest during the neap. Neap tides occur when the moon and sun are
perpendicular to one another, whereas spring tides occur when they are aligned. Tides are considered spring tides when the moon is new or full, and neap tides when the moon is first or third quarter. Longer than neap tides, spring tides are often referred to as King Tides. 13. Does the moon have a magnetic field? Explain why or why not. The Moon does not have a magnetic field because its core was likely too tiny and lacked the convective force to form a consistently strong magnetic field, as shown by simulations of the Moon's interior. 14. Why are moon rocks much older than Earth rocks, even though both worlds formed at nearly the same time? While Earth and the Moon share many of the same elements and formed around the same time, the Moon's surface rocks are significantly older than those on Earth. Much of Earth's oldest rock has been obliterated by active tectonic processes, which have instead given rise to newer rock. 15. Explain why Mercury does not have an atmosphere. While Earth and the Moon share many of the same elements and formed around the same time, the Moon's surface rocks are significantly older than those on Earth. Much of Earth's oldest rock has been obliterated by active tectonic processes, which have instead given rise to newer rock. 16. Compare the surfaces of the moon and Mercury. Explain how they are the same and how they are different. The surface of Mercury is covered with impact craters much how the moon's surface is scarred by impacts with meteoroids and comets. Extra Credit 1. Calculate the escape velocity of the moon, using its mass and diameter from chapter 12. Mass of the moon, M= 7.3477 x 10^22 kg Radius of the moon, R= 1.7374 x 10^6 m Universal gravitational constant, G= 6.67 x 10^-11 N x m/kg^2 E scape velocity of the moon is,
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