alleryStart learning →A crater is usually how much wider than the object that dug it out?
A2 to 3 times wider
B50 to 60 times wider
C10 to 15 times wider
D100 to 150 times wider
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. 10 to 15 times wider
1. The incoming body buries itself two or three times its own diameter and stops.
2. Its energy of motion then goes into a shock wave and an explosion.
3. The explosion excavates a hole 10 to 15 times the diameter of the projectile.
4. The figure of 2 to 3 times is the penetration depth, not the finished crater width.
_Source: OpenStax Astronomy (CC BY 4.0), section 9.3 Impact Craters_
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