Moon

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/moon

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How heavy is the Moon?Approximately 1.2% of Earth's mass
2. What is the orbital period (synodic)?29.5 Earth days
3. What is the average orbital distance?384,399 kilometers (238,854 miles)
4. What is the Moon and how did it form?The Moon is Earth's closest neighbor in space. It was created from debris that spun around Earth after a huge collision with a Mars‑sized body called Theia about 4.51 billion years ago.
5. Why does the Moon always show the same face to Earth?The Moon always shows the same side to Earth because its rotation slowed until it matched its orbit. This is called tidal locking.

Tidal Locking: The synchronization of a celestial body's rotation period with its orbital period around another body.
Regolith: A layer of loose, heterogeneous superficial deposits covering solid rock, especially on the Moon and other celestial bodies.
Synodic Period: The time it takes for a celestial body to return to the same position in relation to the Sun as observed from Earth.
Maria: Large, dark, basaltic plains on the Moon's surface, formed by ancient volcanic activity.