Why isn't there more dust on the moon?

Question

Dust accumulates at a certain rate. If the moon were millions of years old, the dust would be ten or more feet thick.

The dust on the moon is only about a half an inch thick.

Guess how long it would take for a half an inch of dust to accumulate? About six thousand years.

So why isn't there more dust on the moon?

Answer 1

never really studied this one but just off the top of my head-no atmosphere-no weather-no winds-very little dust is made-keep the peace old hippie here

Answer 2

This is from Answers in Genesis, one of the leading creationist sites on the web:

"On the moon, after assessment of the various techniques employed, on balance the evidence points to a meteoritic dust influx figure of around 10,000 tons per year...Calculations show that the amount of meteoritic dust in the surface dust layer, and that which trace element analyses have shown to be in the regolith, is consistent with the current meteoritic dust influx rate operating over the evolutionists’ timescale. While there are some unresolved problems with the evolutionists’ case, the moon dust argument, using uniformitarian assumptions to argue against an old age for the moon and the solar system, should for the present not be used by creationists."


The numbers that you're talking about are derived from a single estimate made in 1960.

Please try to keep up.

Answer 3

That's on earth. "Dust" isn't just from rocks. It's mostly organic--skin cells, dander, hair.
There's no wind on the Moon to wear down its rocks and make rock dust (aka "sand"). There's no atmosphere to hold any dust particles suspended. The only thing dust can come from is meteorites and meteors hitting the surface and becoming pulverized.

Answer 4

I guess the landing craft blew it all away. You do realize the moon has less gravity to attrack dust. What I want to know is why there was still dust to step in after the landing craft touched down with it's retro rockets.

Answer 5

The moon doesn't have wind or an atmosphere...

Answer 6

Isn't it erosion that creates dust?

Hmmmm.

Answer 7

Probably because of this:

http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CE/CE101.html
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/moon-dust.html