Please help me form an outline Describe how the scientific thinking on the forma

Question

Please help me form an outline

Describe how the scientific thinking on the formation of the moon has evolved over the past sixty-years or so. What hypotheses have been proposed and which have been rejected and which accepted? What data and observations have been collected? What analysis techniques have been used? What further research could be done in the future to refine our understanding of how the moon was formed?

Some references to use

Rufu et al. (2017) propose a scenario of multiple impacts.

Computer modeling has been used to predict outcomes of various scenarios (Rufu et al., 2017)

In 1966 there were many hypotheses for the formation of the moon (O'keefe).

In 1966 O'keefe proposed a new hypothesis for moon formation

Explanation / Answer

The prevailing theory supported by the scientific community, the giant impact hypothesis suggests that the moon formed when an object smashed into early Earth. Like the other planets, Earth formed from the leftover cloud of dust and gas orbiting the young sun. The early solar system was a violent place, and a number of bodies were created that never made it to full planetary status. One of these could have crashed into Earth not long after the young planet was created.

Co-formation theory

Moons can also form at the same time as their parent planet. Under such an explanation, gravity would have caused material in the early solar system to draw together at the same time as gravity bound particles together to form Earth. Such a moon would have a very similar composition to the planet, and would explain the moon's present location. However, although Earth and the moon share much of the same material, the moon is much less dense than our planet, which would likely not be the case if both started with the same heavy elements at their core.

In 2012, researcher Robin Canup, of the Southwest Research Institute in Texas, proposed that Earth and the moon formed at the same time when two massive objects five times the size of Mars crashed into each other.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse P
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.