Which statement about the Moon's core is accurate?

Which statement about the Moon's core is accurate?

• A. The Moon lacks an atmosphere.
• B. The Moon contains no rocks that have iron.
• C. The Moon does not have a liquid core.
• D. The Moon has no bodies of water.

Answer: (C)

Understanding how we learn about the Moon’s interior comes from indirect measurements, especially seismology. Seismic data from Apollo missions show the Moon has a small iron-rich core. The way seismic waves travel suggests there’s a liquid outer layer around a possible solid inner core, because liquids do not transmit shear (S) waves as solids do, creating signatures in the data that point to a molten region. This means the Moon does have a liquid part to its core, not a completely solid core. So the statement that the Moon does not have a liquid core isn’t supported by what those seismic measurements indicate. The other statements either refer to things unrelated to the core or are not accurate descriptions of the Moon’s interior. The key idea is that core state (solid vs. liquid) is inferred from how seismic waves move through the body, and the evidence points to a liquid outer core for the Moon.

Understanding how we learn about the Moon’s interior comes from indirect measurements, especially seismology. Seismic data from Apollo missions show the Moon has a small iron-rich core. The way seismic waves travel suggests there’s a liquid outer layer around a possible solid inner core, because liquids do not transmit shear (S) waves as solids do, creating signatures in the data that point to a molten region. This means the Moon does have a liquid part to its core, not a completely solid core. So the statement that the Moon does not have a liquid core isn’t supported by what those seismic measurements indicate. The other statements either refer to things unrelated to the core or are not accurate descriptions of the Moon’s interior. The key idea is that core state (solid vs. liquid) is inferred from how seismic waves move through the body, and the evidence points to a liquid outer core for the Moon.