To understand why Earth experiences more erosion than the Moon, we need to examine the factors that cause erosion and determine whether these factors are also present on the Moon. If they are, then we must compare their intensity. Once we understand this, the difference will become crystal clear.
Factors like presence of atmosphere, wind, water, microbial activities on earth plays a crucial role in the erosion of the surface soil, but on moon conditions are quite different. Let’s understand this in detail.
Why Does Earth Experience More Erosion Than The Moon
- Presence Of Atmosphere: Due to the presence of Earth’s atmosphere, not only is the heat balance maintained perfectly to sustain life, but it also plays a crucial role in the climate cycle, wind flow, rainfall, etc., all of which contribute to soil erosion. However, on the Moon, there is no atmosphere, so these factors are absent.
- Wind: Strong wind currents on Earth help transport soil particles from one place to another, but on the Moon, there is no such agent.
- Water: When raindrops fall on the bare Earth, they disturb soil particles, causing erosion. Similarly, rivers carrying water also contribute to erosion. However, there is neither rainfall nor rivers on the Moon, as it lacks both water and an atmosphere to support the water cycle.
- Living Organism: Due to the presence of microbial activity in the soil and animal movements, the soil structure gets disturbed, causing erosion. But on the Moon, there is no presence of life; hence, such phenomena don’t occur.
- Tectonic Activity: The Moon’s tectonic activity ceased billions of years ago, but on earth, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and plate movements break and reshape land over time.
The only source of surface erosion on moon are weathering from micrometeorite impacts and extreme temperature changes that gradually break down the surface but at a very slow pace.
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