Howardites

A printable worksheet for the lesson Meteorites from the Moon and Mars (Start here: Explorer). It prints on A4 without the website around it. The answers are on a separate sheet for the teacher.

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Start here: Explorer · Ages 10 and upHowardites worksheet

Meteorites from the Moon and Mars

Name:Class:Date:

Key words

Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, a cold, rocky world with ancient river valleys; some meteorites come from it.
Escape velocity
Escape velocity is the speed an object needs to break free of a body's gravity without further push.
Lunar meteorite
A rock knocked off the Moon by an impact that later fell to Earth.
Oxygen isotopes
Oxygen isotopes are the three stable forms of oxygen, whose ratios in a meteorite act like a fingerprint for its parent body.
Luna samples
Luna samples are the small amounts of lunar soil brought back by three Soviet robotic missions between 1970 and 1976.
Martian meteorite
A rock that was blasted off Mars by an impact and later landed on Earth.

Choose the right answer

Circle the letter of the right answer.

  1. Which rocks can be thrown into space while being shocked fairly little?
    • ARocks deep below the centre of the crater
    • BRocks from the planet's metal core far below
    • CRocks buried deep under the crater floor
    • DSurface rocks at the edge of the impact
  2. Roughly how fast must a rock be launched to escape from the Moon?
    • AAbout 2.4 km per second
    • BAbout 11 km per second
    • CAbout 0.24 km per second
    • DAbout 24 km per second
  3. Which Martian meteorite fell in Egypt in 1911?
    • AChassigny
    • BShergotty
    • CAllan Hills 84001
    • DNakhla
  4. Many Martian meteorites are much younger than asteroid meteorites. What does that show?
    • AMars formed long after all the asteroids did
    • BMars stayed volcanic long after asteroids cooled
    • CAsteroids are much younger than the planets
    • DMartian meteorites all fell to Earth very recently
  5. Many lunar highland meteorites are breccias. What does that mean?
    • AThey are each one single, very large crystal
    • BThey are packed with small round chondrules
    • CThey are broken fragments cemented together
    • DThey are made mostly of iron-nickel metal

True or false?

Is the answer given right? Tick True or False.

  1. A pale lunar meteorite is rich in plagioclase feldspar. Where on the Moon did it most likely come from?

    Answer given: The landing sites of Apollo TrueFalse

  2. Where was the first meteorite recognised as coming from the Moon found?

    Answer given: The Sahara TrueFalse

Write your answer

Answer in a word or a short sentence.

  1. Some Martian meteorites hold minerals formed by water on Mars. What does that tell us?
  2. Why is it easier for an impact to launch rock off the Moon than off Mars?
  3. What kind of rock are most Martian meteorites?

Task

Model how impacts launch rocks: press your thumb into the side of a ball of play dough and watch how material at the edge is pushed outwards. Discuss why rocks at the edge would be shocked less.

Howardites · free to copy for use in your classroom · answers are on the separate teacher's answer sheet