Moon Rocks in a Sample Box

In the picture

1. 1A rock held by the rover’s gripper: a lunar sample collected from the surface.
2. 2An open sample container on the rover: the place where the rock is stored.
3. 3A crater rim beside the rover: one collection site on the Moon.
4. 4A distant rocky patch with a small crater: a different site on the Moon’s surface.

Examples

• Collecting stones from several beaches to learn how an island formed.
• Taking soil samples from different parts of a garden to compare them.

Quiz: Moon Rocks in a Sample Box (Age 13)

1. 1

   Why do lunar sample missions collect rocks from different places on the Moon?

   • To find rocks that all formed at the same time.
   • To collect rocks from one site so the results are easier to understand.
   • To compare materials from different sites and improve models of how the Moon formed.
2. 2

   Why does a rover put a lunar rock into a sample container?

   • To measure the Moon’s temperature while inside.
   • To keep track of which crater the rover came from.
   • To protect the sample so scientists can study it later.
3. 3

   How can rocks from different Moon sites help scientists?

   • They can show that every part of the Moon is exactly the same.
   • They can give clues from multiple sites that improve models of how the Moon formed.
   • They can prove the Moon formed from only one crater.

The answers, each with its explanation, are in the app. This lesson has left the free week, so its quiz is part of the subscription.