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Lava flows on the Moon and Mercury created large, smooth plains. We don't see similar features on Earth because a. Earth has less lava. b. Earth had fewer large impacts in the past. c. Earth has plate tectonics that recycle the surface. d. Earth is large compared to the size of these plains, so they are not as noticeable. e. Earth rotates much faster than either of these other worlds.

Short Answer

Expert verified
c. Earth has plate tectonics that recycle the surface.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the Question

Read the question carefully. It asks why Earth does not have large, smooth plains like those on the Moon and Mercury created by lava flows.
02

Analyze Each Option

Look at each provided option and see if it logically explains why Earth lacks these features:a. Earth's lava quantityb. Past large impacts on Earthc. Plate tectonics recycling Earth's surfaced. Earth's size relative to plainse. Earth's rotation speed
03

Evaluate Option A

Consider if Earth having less lava can be a reason. Even though Earth has a significant amount of lava, it is not the correct answer since lava quantity alone does not prevent smooth plains.
04

Evaluate Option B

Consider if fewer large impacts on Earth is the reason. Earth has experienced many large impacts, so this option is not correct.
05

Evaluate Option C

Consider if plate tectonics recycling the surface is the reason. Earth has active plate tectonics that constantly recycle its crust, which removes old features and creates new ones.
06

Confirm Option C

Realize that active plate tectonics on Earth explain why the surface features created by lava flows do not remain as they do on the Moon and Mercury. Option c is correct.
07

Evaluate Options D and E

Quickly evaluate the remaining options:d. Earth's size - Irrelevant as the plains would still be noticeable.e. Earth's rotation speed - Irrelevant to the creation or preservation of plains.
08

Conclusion

By process of elimination and understanding Earth's geology, conclude that plate tectonics recycling Earth’s surface is the correct reason.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Plate Tectonics
Earth's surface is constantly changing due to the dynamic processes of plate tectonics. The Earth's lithosphere, which is composed of large plates, floats on the semi-fluid asthenosphere. These tectonic plates are in slow, constant motion across the surface. They can collide, pull apart, or slide past each other.
When plates collide, they can form mountains or cause one plate to be pushed beneath another in a process called subduction. This recycling of the Earth's crust means that old surfaces are continually destroyed and new ones created. This ongoing process effectively erases the large, smooth plains formed by ancient lava flows, unlike on the Moon and Mercury where tectonic activity is absent or minimal.
Lava Flows
Lava flows are streams of molten rock that emerge from a volcanic vent or fissure. Once the lava is expelled from the volcano, it moves across the surface and eventually cools and solidifies to form igneous rock. On the Moon and Mercury, extensive lava flows from volcanic activity have created large, smooth plains.
On Earth, while volcanic activity is also prevalent, the results of these flows are not as permanent. Due to Earth's plate tectonics, the crust is constantly undergoing changes. This means that lava flows that might create wide plains are often disturbed, fragmented, and recycled by tectonic processes. That's why we don't see the same expansive, smooth plains that are present on the Moon and Mercury.
Impact Craters
Impact craters are depressions formed when a meteoroid, asteroid, or comet strikes a planetary surface at high speed. The Moon and Mercury's surfaces are littered with such craters due to their lack of atmospheric and geological activity to erode or recycle them.
Earth, on the other hand, undergoes constant surface renewal processes driven by plate tectonics, erosion, weathering, and volcanic activity. While Earth certainly experiences impacts, evidence of these events is frequently obliterated or altered beyond recognition. Hence, the significant contrast in surface features when compared to the Moon and Mercury.
The presence or absence of these craters tells us a lot about a planet's surface activity and history. On Earth, fewer visible impact craters indicate an active geological history, whereas the cratered surfaces of the Moon and Mercury tell the story of worlds left relatively unaltered for billions of years.

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