Week 3: Space: The Moon





What did you do in the lab today? 

In lab, we learned about how the Moon looks different in different places and why some parts of it are darker. We did an experiment using flour and cocoa powder to model the Moon’s surface. We dropped different-sized marbles from different heights to see how craters form and why there are darker spots. When the marbles hit, the darker cocoa powder showed through, just like how real impacts on the Moon can make some areas look darker. We also talked about how the Earth rotates counterclockwise on its axis, and we learned the difference between rotate and revolve. Rotate means spinning on its own axis, and revolve means moving around something else. Then we used styrofoam balls and a globe to figure out where the Moon would be during its different phases, like new moon, quarter moon, and full moon. We also learned that the Moon has a front side, which is the side we always see , and a back side, which is the far side we never see, and we talked about why that happens.

What was the big question? 

Why does the Moon have different-looking sides and surface features, like dark spots and craters?

2. What did you learn in Thursday’s discussion?

I learned about why the Moon has different thickness on each side. The Earth’s facing side is 200 degrees F warmer, so it acts more like plastic than solid. Because it’s warmer, it was more prone to volcanic activity and had more magma fields, which are the dark spots on the near side. Even though the Moon has no active core, it still had volcanoes because of residual heat from radioactive decay. Earth’s gravity, from tidal locking, may have pulled molten material toward the side we can see. A big meteor may have hit the far side and made the crust thicker. When the crust is thinner, meteors can break through easier and magma escapes, making dark patches. We also talked about where the Moon came from. One idea that scientists gave is that a massive collision between Earth and a Mars-sized planet. Other ideas include capture, colliding planetesimals, fission, and co-formation. We learned that the Sun rides on the Moon once every 28 days, and the Moon is about as big as the United States.

 3. Read the online textbook, chapter 3: https://pressbooks.uiowa.edu/science-methods- ii/chapter/the-moon/ 

1. What did you learn?

I learned that the Moon has different phases because of how it moves around the Earth and how the Sun lights it up. The Moon rotates and revolves at the same time, which is why we always see the same side. The side facing Earth is warmer and has a thinner crust, so it has more dark spots called maria from old volcanoes. The far side has a thicker crust and more craters. The Moon is thought to be made when a big planet hit the early Earth and created debris that formed the Moon.

 2. What was most helpful?

The most helpful part of the reading was learning about tidal locking and why we always see the same side of the Moon. It helped me understand why the near side and far side look so different. Also, reading about the Moon’s phases and how they happen because of the Moon’s position between the Earth and Sun was really helpful.

 3. What do you need more information on? 

I could use more information on how the Moon’s different sides formed and why the far side has a thicker crust. I also want to learn more about how volcanoes formed on the Moon. 

4. What questions, concerns, and/or comments do you have? 

Nothing right now


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