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If the earth and the moon formed at about the same time why are mountains on the moon so smooth compared to the mountain peaks on earth?
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
First, we do not yet have any detailed information on the structure of lunar mountains. They appear to be quite jagged and peak-y compared to many terrestrial mountains. There have been a grand total of SIX human visits to the Moon, with the longest taking a mere 3 days. All of them were in valleys and "seas"; so far, no man has hiked any lunar mountain. Nor will we for many decades to come.
Second, the Moon is old and cold, without an active tectonic core. The only mountain-building process on the Moon has been impact craters, and this has been true for a billion years. Earth, on the other hand, has numerous active volcanoes and experienced hundreds of earthquakes every day.
Third, terrestrial mountains experience considerable weathering from, well, "weather"; rain, snow, and wind. Lunar peaks are likely to be as sharp as broken glass.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
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Wind and water erosion makes the mountains smooth.
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Glacier formed long smooth hills?
What kind of glacier forms when ice and snow build up in a mountain valley
