Which space exploration activity has most helped astronomers determine the age of the moon?(1 point) Responses experiments performed on the International Space Station experiments performed on the International Space Station placement of mirrors on the lunar surface placement of mirrors on the lunar surface collection of deep space images by the Hubble telescope collection of deep space images by the Hubble telescope collection of lunar rock samples collection of lunar rock samples
collection of lunar rock samples
The correct answer is: collection of lunar rock samples.
The collection of lunar rock samples has been the space exploration activity that most helped astronomers determine the age of the moon. To understand how this is done, let's go through the process:
1. Apollo Missions: The Apollo missions from 1969 to 1972 brought back rock samples from the moon. Astronauts collected about 382 kilograms (842 pounds) of lunar material during these missions.
2. Radioactive Isotopes: The age of these lunar rocks can be determined using a method called radioactive dating. Certain isotopes within the rocks are known to decay at a predictable rate over time, and by studying the ratios of these isotopes, scientists can estimate the age of the rocks.
3. Radioactive Decay: For example, the isotope potassium-40 (K-40) in the rocks undergoes radioactive decay into argon-40 (Ar-40) with a known half-life of 1.25 billion years. By measuring the ratio of K-40 to Ar-40 in the rocks, scientists can calculate how much time has passed since the rock formed.
4. Age of the Moon: By dating various lunar rock samples collected from different locations on the moon's surface, scientists can determine the ages of different geological features and events in the moon's history. This information helps in understanding the moon's formation and evolution.
So, to summarize, the collection of lunar rock samples during the Apollo missions has been crucial in determining the age of the moon through radioactive dating techniques.