MCQ Detailed View

The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite, but unlike our planet, it does not have a thick, protective atmosphere. Instead, the Moon has what scientists call an exosphere, which is an extremely thin layer of gases surrounding it. This layer is so sparse that it is almost like a complete vacuum.

The Moon’s gravity is much weaker than Earth's, which means it cannot hold on to heavy gases like nitrogen or oxygen for long periods of time. Any gases that reach the surface quickly escape into space. As a result, the Moon does not have a stable atmosphere made up of nitrogen, hydrogen, or inert gases in large amounts.

The small amount of gases that do exist are in trace quantities and include elements such as helium, neon, hydrogen, argon, sodium, and potassium. These come mostly from solar wind particles or outgassing from the Moon’s surface. However, their concentration is extremely low, far less than what is required to form an actual atmosphere like Earth's.

Because of the lack of a thick atmosphere, the Moon:

• 
  

  Has no breathable air for humans or animals.

  
  


• 
  

  Experiences extreme temperature variations, becoming very hot in sunlight and freezing cold in darkness.

  
  


• 
  

  Has no protection from meteoroids or harmful solar radiation, resulting in its heavily cratered surface.

  
  

The options given in this question list percentages of nitrogen and hydrogen, which are not accurate. The Moon does not have these gases in such proportions. Therefore, the correct answer is Option D – None, because the Moon has no true atmosphere.

This concept is part of Everyday Science, as it explains a natural fact about our nearest celestial neighbor and helps us understand the difference between Earth and the Moon.