[meteorite-list] Question about Meteorites on the Moon

[Mark Miconi]

Hello all, Tonight my 8 year old son Christopher and I were out looking at the moon with our wholly inadequate telescope. It is fine for looking at the moon but lacks the optics needed for much else.   Anyways he is a very smart kid and asked me a couple of questions that I could not answer and I told him I would ask you all.   First he wanted to know if a meteor hits the moon is it technically a meteorite or are only meteors that hit the earth called a meteorite? My answer was that once a meteoriod hits a terrestrial body it is technically a meteorite.   Second he wanted to know what if any changes would occur to a meteorite once it is on the moon? He is very smart and understands that weathering and a general erosion begins once a meteorite hits the earth due to the actions of our atmosphere, wind and rain. He was wondering if it were common place to go to the moon easily and find meteorites if they would be pristine or would solar winds, and other impacts by space dust, micrometeorites and the such erode them? And if the swings in temperature extremes that can occur on the moon effect them in any way. My answer was that they would probably change a bit over time, but the amount of time that would be needed to cause any changes would be exponentially greater than that of earth.   The third question he asked was since there is virtually no weather on the moon to stir up dust and bury them meteorites would it be harder to find meteorites on the moon? My answer was that since there is no atmosphere to slow their descent that the impact speed would probably determine whether the meteorites would end up buried deeper in the surface and it would also depend on whether or not they would even survive the impact.   And last but not least he asked since the moon is smaller than earth would the density/number of meteorites on the moon be less than that of the earth?  My answer was I would ask the experts on this list. (I took the easy way out on that one!)I told him that without an atmosphere to burn up any potential meteors that might hit the moon though it was smaller more would make it to the surface than on earth, but that without that same atmosphere to slow them down, many more would probably not survive the impact and would end up pulverized to dust by the impact.   I would really appreciate everyone's input. I will relay the answers to him, at 8 years old I do not think I can allow him unfettered access to the list due to the adult disturberences that sometimes take place on the list. Please do not get too technical, although he is very smart, he recently tested 2 grades above the 3rd grade that the school board is insisting he remains in. He is in a program for gifted children and attends 4th grade math classes because he passed the third grade math program last year. School has started here already in Arizona and he is going to be tested in mid September to allow him to skip 3rd grade altogether. I forward alot of the space news to him that is released and posted here and loves everything there is about space and meteorites. He will be absolutely thrilled to read your responses to his questions.   I thank you ahead of time.   Mark and Christopher Miconi Phoenix AZ