What is the giant impact hypothesis for the origin of the Moon?
A)The Moon formed when two gigantic asteroids collided with one another.
B)The Moon formed just like the Earth, from accretion in the solar nebula.
C)The Moon originally was about the same size as Earth, but a giant impact blasted most of it away so that it ended up much smaller than Earth.
D)The Moon formed from material blasted out of the Earth's mantle and crust by the impact of a Mars- size object.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The giant impact hypothesis proposes that the Moon formed from material blasted out of the Earth's mantle and crust by the impact of a Mars-size object. The collision would have vaporized a large amount of the impactor and Earth's mantle, which eventually recondensed into the Moon. This theory explains why the Moon's composition is similar to Earth's mantle and why the Moon has a smaller iron core than Earth. It is also supported by the fact that the Moon is lacking in volatile elements that would have been lost in a giant impact.

What Is the Giant Impact Hypothesis for the Origin of the Moon