02 Online Worksheet 2

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Annotation

Inside the Moon

The Moon is a differentiated world. This means that it is composed of


different layers with different compositions. The heaviest materials
have sunken down into the Moon’s center, and the lightest materials
have risen to the outermost layer. Seismic, rotational, and gravity
measurement studies have allowed us to gain insights into the
different layers within the Moon. At the center is the Moon’s dense,
metallic core. The core is largely composed of iron and some nickel.

The inner core is a solid mass of about 480 km in diameter.


Surrounding the solid inner core is a fluid outer core, that brings the
total diameter of the core to about 660 km. The Moon’s core is small
(about 20% of the Moons diameter) as opposed to other terrestrial
worlds (like the Earth) with cores measuring closer to 50% of their
diameters. Above the core are the mantle and crust. Differences in
compositions between these layers tell a story of the Moon being
largely, or even completely, composed of a great ocean of magma in its
very early history. As the magma ocean began to cool, crystals began
to form within the magma. Crystals of denser mantle minerals, such as
olivine and pyroxene, sank to the bottom of the ocean. Lighter
minerals, notably anorthositic plagioclase feldspar, crystalized and
floated to the surface to form the Moon’s crust. The mantle, with a

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.

Legend:

Orange- key word Pink – new vocabulary for me


Green – word or sentences that I understand Gray – sentences that amazed me
Blue- sentences that I have little insights about Brown – interesting fact that I got to know today

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.

II. Moon’s dense, metallic core.


a. Largely composed of iron and some nickel.
b. The inner core is a solid mass of about 480 km in diameter.
c. Surrounding the solid inner core is a fluid outer core
d. The total diameter of the core is about 660 km.
e. The Moon’s core is small as opposed to other terrestrial worlds with cores
measuring closer to 50% of their diameters.

III. Mantle and Crust.


a. Crystals of denser mantle minerals, such as olivine and pyroxene, sank to
the bottom of the ocean.
b. Lighter minerals, notably anorthositic plagioclase feldspar, crystalized and
floated to the surface to form the Moon’s crust.
c. The mantle, with a thickness of roughly 1350 km, is far more extensive
than the crust, which has an average thickness of about 50 km.

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

The Moon is composed of different layers with


different compositions. The heaviest materials
have sunken down into the Moon's center, and
the lightest materials have risen to the
outermost layer. Seismic, rotational, and gravity
measurement studies have allowed us to gain
insights into the different layers. Lighter
minerals, notably anorthositic plagioclase
feldspar, crystalized and floated to the surface.
Seismometers left on the surface by the Apollo
astronauts have revealed that the Moon does
experience moonquakes. From deep
moonquakes, occurring broadly around 700 km
beneath the lunar surface, to meteoroid
impacts in the Moon that can cause
moonquakes originating on or near the surface.

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