Exploration of the Moon Flashcards
1
Q
What is the mean thickness of the lunar crust?
A
50 - 60 km
2
Q
What is the Giant impact hypothesis?
A
A large body hit Earth, which was vaporised along with a part of Earth and the debris slowly cooled and condensed to form the moon.
3
Q
What are the other theories of the formation of the moon?
A
Fission theory: The earth was spinning so rapidly that part of it spun off and formed the moon
Capture theory: The Earth and moon were formed at different places but the moon became captured by Earth’s gravity.
Condensation: The Earth and moon formed together at the same time out of material from the solar nebula.
4
Q
What supports the giant impact hypothesis?
A
It is supported by the moon’s lack of substance that evaporates easily and its small core.
