Impact crater hypothetical... If a pair of identical objects strike both the

T

tripforyou

New member
earth and moon with velocity? If the approach velocity is such that the speed of impact is not significantly affected by the earth's gravity (let's say 100km/s headed in a straight line into the sun) how will the sizes of the craters compare if the twin object strikes the moon under identical conditions? Assume there is negligible mass loss from atmospheric friction. Also assume it's mass is not large enough to annihilate the moon at it's given speed.
 
Exactly what is your question? You start off by talking about the Earth and the moon, yet you end your question with only the moon being impacted. The Earth has a higher acceleration of gravity, 9.8066 meters/sec^2, than the moon does, 1.62 meters /sec^2. Any impactor with the same velocity, mass , and density will impact the Earth with a higher velocity, acceleration and force,produce a bigger crater than the same impactor impacting the moon at the same velocity with less acceleration and force, producing a smaller crater. Force = mass x acceleration, momentum = mass x velocity.
 
First it depends on where it strikes at. Earth has many different surface areas ocean, desert, etc. So that would greatly affect size.

But other then different surface areas, I say it would be similar.
 
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