Extraterrestrial Life Exam 1 Practice

The dark maria on the Moon are best described as which of the following?

Flat plains of basalt Large impact basins Volcanic cones Huge impact basins filled in by lava flows

Correct Answer:

Huge impact basins filled in by lava flows

Explanation:

The dark maria are vast basins formed by large impacts that were later flooded by lava. They began as huge impact basins, and instead of remaining hollow, magma flowed up through the crust and filled these basins, cooling to solid, smooth plains of basalt. That combination—giant impact basins with lava flooding—best describes them, which is why the description of huge impact basins filled in by lava flows fits perfectly. The other notions miss part of the story: they are basalt plains, but not simply flat plains that formed in isolation, and they are not volcanic cones.

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