What is the distribution of maria on the Moon's surface?
A) Maria are largely confined to the hemisphere facing Earth; there are only a few small maria on the distant side.
B) Maria are distributed uniformly over the Moon's surface, as expected from random bombardment by debris from space.
C) There are only a few large maria on the Earth-facing side of the Moon but many smaller maria on the far side.
D) The large maria seen on the Earth-facing side of the Moon are matched by equivalent maria at diametrically opposite positions on the Moon, but only the near side has small maria.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Maria, the dark, basaltic plains on the Moon, are predominantly found on the side facing Earth, with the far side having very few. This uneven distribution is due to the Moon's crust being thinner on the side facing Earth, which made it easier for volcanic activity to form maria there.

What Is the Distribution of Maria on the Moon's Surface