Which statement about the rotations of the Moon and Mercury is FALSE?
A)Our Moon is in a 1:1 synch with the Earth, keeping the same side toward us.
B)Mercury is in the 3:2 synch with the Sun, with the same side Sunward at perihelion.
C)Like our Moon, Mercury does not rotate at all, keeping the same side facing the Sun.
D)On Mercury, three days exactly equal two years.
E)On the Moon, each "day" lasts about 15 Earth days of constant sunlight.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mercury does not rotate at exactly the same rate that it orbits the Sun. It has a 3:2 spin-orbit resonance, meaning that it rotates three times for every two revolutions it makes around the Sun, resulting in each day on Mercury lasting two Mercury years. Mercury does rotate, but its rotation is in a 3:2 resonance with its orbit around the Sun, meaning that it rotates three times for every two orbits around the Sun. This results in a complex pattern of rotation where each day on Mercury lasts two complete Mercury years (one day-night cycle).

Which Statement About the Rotations of the Moon and Mercury