Why does the Moon have so many craters compared to the Earth? Unlike the Earth, the Moon has no atmosphere to protect itself from impacting bodies. It also has very little geologic activity (like volcanoes) or weathering (from wind or rain) so craters remain intact from billions of years.

Similarly, Why are impact craters more common on the Moon?

Meteorite craters are more common on the Moon and Mars and on other planets and natural satellites than on Earth, because most meteorites either burn up in Earth’s atmosphere before reaching its surface or erosion soon obscures the impact site. …

Additionally, Why does the moon have more craters than the Earth quizlet? The moon’s surface is much more heavily cratered than Earth’s surface because ancient craters have already disappeared on Earth . They were worn away over time by water , wind , and other forces . Since the moon has no liquid water or atmosphere , its surface has changed very little .

Why are there so many craters on the moon and so few on Earth quizlet?

There are so few craters on the Earth because most have been destroyed due to plate tectonics and erosion. … There are many craters on Mercury and the Moon because neither body has an atmosphere to vaporize the meteoroid before it reaches the body’s surface.

Why do we not see many craters on Earth?

So why are there so few craters on Earth? NASA notes that Earth is equipped with three processes that eat up craters relatively quickly: erosion, tectonics, and volcanism. These forces leave only the largest scars from meteorites or asteroids — unlike, say, the moon, which can’t gobble up craters.

Why are meteor craters more common on the moon than on Earth even though the moon is a much smaller target?

Why are impact craters more common on the Moon than on Earth, even though the Moon is a much smaller target and has a weaker gravitational field? Earth has a more substantial atmosphere than the Moon, causing more incoming bolides to burn up in the atmosphere before impact.

Why does the moon have more impact craters than the Earth quizlet?

The moon’s surface is much more heavily cratered than Earth’s surface because ancient craters have already disappeared on Earth . They were worn away over time by water , wind , and other forces . Since the moon has no liquid water or atmosphere , its surface has changed very little .

Why are impact craters more obvious on the moon and Mercury than on Earth?

Impact craters dominate the surfaces of Mercury and the Earth’s Moon. Both bodies lack liquid water on their surfaces that would erode impact craters over time. They also lack an atmosphere which, on planets like the Earth and Venus, could disintegrate meteoroids before they impact the surface.

What caused the craters on the moon quizlet?

1 – Craters formed when rocks from space collided with the moon. 2 – Maria formed when lava flowed out of the moon, filled large craters, and cooled to solid rock. … According to the giant impact hypothesis, the material that formed Earth’s moon was blown into space when a large object collided with Earth.

How do most craters on moons form quizlet?

How did most lunar craters form? Craters form from the impact of rapidly moving debris. … Maria originated when asteroids punctured the lunar surface, letting magma bleed out, forming extensive lava flows. You just studied 5 terms!

What created the craters on the moon quizlet?

What created craters and when were they formed? Meteorites, asteroids , and comets striking the Moon’s surface created most of these craters, which formed early in the Moon’s history. Upon impact, cracks may have formed in the Moon’s crust, allowing lava to reach the surface and fill up the large craters.

Why are nearly all of the craters on the moon circular even though many impacts there were not head on?

Why are nearly all of the craters on the Moon circular, even though many impacts there were not head-on? … Mercury lacks extensive crater-less regions and instead has relatively small craters. There are dormant volcanoes on Mercury and none on the moon.

Why are there so few craters on the Maria quizlet?

There are so few craters on the Maria because lava flowed through the marias causing most of the craters to be filled and erased. Because very few meteor impacts occurred after the maria formed, they appear relatively smooth and dark in color.

Why are almost all the craters we see on the moon circular *?

Because the final crater may be as much as 100 times greater than the diameter of the impactor, this requires an impact at an angle of no more than a few degrees from horizontal. For this reason, the vast majority of impacts produce round or nearly round craters, just as is observed.

What happened to the craters on Earth?

However, tectonic processes, weathering, and burial quickly obscure or destroy craters. If Earth weren’t so dynamic, its surface would be heavily cratered like the Moon or Mercury. … However, tectonic processes, weathering, and burial quickly obscure or destroy craters.

Why are there more craters on the far side of the moon than the near side?

This makes the Earth negligible as a shield for the Moon. The real reason there are more impact craters on the far side of the Moon is that the near side has a much thinner crust which has allowed volcanoes to erupt and fill in ancient large basins (or large impact craters).

Why are there so many craters on the moon and Mars?

Impact craters are caused when a bolide collides with a planet. … The Martian surface contains thousands of impact craters because, unlike Earth, Mars has a stable crust, low erosion rate, and no active sources of lava. So, impact craters on Mars are not obliterated as they are on Earth.

Why do meteors land in craters?

The meteors want the craters to be filled, so the earth can be smoother. The craters you see are the ones that have yet to be filled yet, all the others are all full so that it looks like nothing happened. The moon has more craters because it’s smaller and not as many meteors hit the moon compared to earth.

Is the moon gravitational pull stronger or weaker than Earth?

Earth’s average surface gravity is about 9.8 meters per second per second. … The Moon’s surface gravity is about 1/6th as powerful or about 1.6 meters per second per second. The Moon’s surface gravity is weaker because it is far less massive than Earth.

Why do we see many craters on Mercury but very few on Venus Earth and Mars?

On planets like Venus, Earth, and Mars, we do not see as many craters because most of them have been eroded away by wind, rain, volcanic activity, and other forces. On Mercury, where there is no atmosphere, there is no weather to erode away the craters, so most of the craters are still visible.

Which of the following statements best explains why Mercury has many more craters than Earth has?

The surface of Mercury has many more craters than the surface of Earth has. Which of the following statements best explains why Mercury has many more craters than Earth has? Mercury has a thinner atmosphere than Earth has. … The Earth is one astronomical unit (AU) from the Sun.

Where are craters found quizlet?

the bottom surface of any a cave or lake etc.

What was the source of rock that formed the moon?

The standard giant-impact hypothesis suggests that a Mars-sized body, called Theia, impacted the proto-Earth, creating a large debris ring around Earth, which then accreted to form the Moon. This collision also resulted in the 23.5° tilted axis of the Earth, thus causing the seasons.

Are craters on the moon caused by volcanism or by impacts with other bodies?

A crater is a bowl-shaped depression, or hollowed-out area, produced by the impact of a meteorite, volcanic activity, or an explosion. Craters produced by the collision of a meteorite with the Earth (or another planet or moon) are called impact craters. … The Earth’s moon has many craters.