02 Online Worksheet 2
02 Online Worksheet 2
02 Online Worksheet 2
thickness of roughly 1350 km, is far more extensive than the crust,
which has an average thickness of about 50 km. Interestingly, the
crust of the Moon seems to be thinner on the side of the Moon facing
the Earth, and thicker on the side facing away. Researchers are still
working to determine why this might be. Seismometers left on the
surface of the Moon by the Apollo astronauts have revealed that the
Moon does experience moonquakes. Deep moonquakes, occurring
broadly around 700 km beneath the lunar surface are tidal events,
caused by the pull of Earth’s gravity tugging and stretching the
internal structures of the Moon. Meteoroid impacts with the Moon can
cause moonquakes originating on or near the surface. Another
extremely shallow moonquake can come from thermal expansion and
contraction of rock on or near the surface as it goes from the
extremely frigid lunar night to the very hot lunar daytime. The fourth
type of moonquake originates at the moderately shallow depths of 20-
30 km, can register up to a startling 5.5 on the Richter scale, and can
last for over 10 minutes! The causes of this fourth type of moonquake
are still being investigated.
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Outline
Inside the Moon
I. Moon.
a. The Moon is a differentiated world
b. It is composed of different layers with different compositions.
c. Seismic, rotational, and gravity measurement studies have allowed us to
gain insights into the different layers within the Moon.
IV. Moonquakes.
a. Seismometers left on the surface of the Moon by the Apollo astronauts
have revealed that the Moon does experience moonquakes.
b. Deep moonquakes, occurring broadly around 700 km beneath the lunar
surface are tidal events, caused by the pull of Earth’s gravity tugging and
stretching the internal structures of the Moon.
c. Meteoroid impacts with the Moon can cause moonquakes originating on
or near the surface.
d. Another extremely shallow moonquake can come from thermal
expansion and contraction of rock on or near the surface as it goes from the
extremely frigid lunar night to the very hot lunar daytime.
e. The fourth type of moonquake originates at the moderately shallow
depths of 20-30 km, can register up to a startling 5.5 on the Richter scale,
and can last for over 10 minutes.
Summary
Inside the Moon