Major Elements:
* Oxygen (O): About 43% by weight.
* Silicon (Si): About 20% by weight.
* Iron (Fe): About 14% by weight.
* Magnesium (Mg): About 13% by weight.
* Calcium (Ca): About 3% by weight.
* Aluminum (Al): About 3% by weight.
Other Elements:
* Titanium (Ti): A significant amount, present in titanium oxides.
* Sodium (Na): Found in minerals and glass.
* Potassium (K): Found in minerals and glass.
* Phosphorus (P): Found in minerals and glass.
* Hydrogen (H): Found in small amounts, primarily in water ice at the lunar poles.
Rock Types:
The Moon's surface is predominantly made of anorthosite, a type of rock rich in calcium and aluminum. Other common rock types include:
* Basalt: A volcanic rock, darker in color, found in lunar maria (dark, flat plains).
* Breccia: A rock composed of fragments of other rocks, often formed by impacts.
* Regolith: A loose, powdery layer of broken rock and dust covering the lunar surface.
Internal Structure:
The Moon has a layered structure:
* Crust: About 37 miles (60 kilometers) thick, mostly made of anorthosite.
* Mantle: About 810 miles (1,300 kilometers) thick, composed of denser rocks.
* Core: A solid inner core and a liquid outer core, primarily composed of iron with a small amount of sulfur.
Unique Features:
* Water Ice: Found in permanently shadowed craters at the lunar poles.
* Helium-3: A potential energy source for future fusion power, found in trace amounts in the lunar regolith.
It's important to note that while the Moon's composition is similar to Earth's, it lacks the same geological diversity and active processes. For example, the Moon has no atmosphere, no oceans, and no active volcanoes.
