Moon Formation Quiz

What was the general consensus about the moon's formation before recent studies?

• The moon was captured by Earth's gravity.

• The moon was formed from a collision with a Mars-sized planet named Theia.

• The moon was formed from volcanic activity on Earth.

• The moon was always a separate entity from Earth.

What did the new findings in the journal Nature reveal about the moon's formation?

• The moon's surface was hot enough to vaporize zinc.

• The moon's formation involved a low-energy impact.

• The moon's surface was not hot enough to vaporize zinc.

• The moon was formed from volcanic eruptions.

What evidence suggests the moon went through an intense evaporation period?

• The presence of water on the moon.

• Ratios of heavy to light isotopes greater than on Earth.

• The moon's gravitational pull.

• The moon's orbit around Earth.

What did scientists previously think about the moon's material composition?

• It was primarily from Earth's volcanic activity.

• It was primarily from materials from Theia.

• It was primarily from captured asteroids.

• It was primarily from solar winds.

What did new analysis of rock samples from the moon and Earth show?

• They contained different types of elements.

• They contained the same amounts of some types of oxygen, titanium, and silicon.

• They contained no similar elements.

• They contained only water and carbon.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

What does the new computer model from Harvard suggest about Earth's rotation during the moon's formation?

• Earth rotated once every 24 hours.

• Earth rotated once every 2 to 3 hours.

• Earth did not rotate at all.

• Earth rotated once every 12 hours.

What is one of the main problems with the scenario of the moon's formation from Earth's material?

• Earth's rotation was too slow.

• Earth's rotation was too fast.

• Earth's rotation was non-existent.

• Earth's rotation was irrelevant.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-6

NGSS.HS-ESS1-4

What role does the gravitational pull of the newly minted moon play according to the new model?

• It speeds up Earth's rotation.

• It slows down Earth's rotation.

• It has no effect on Earth's rotation.

• It reverses Earth's rotation.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-4

What was one thing that puzzled scientists about the moon's formation theory?

• The size of the moon.

• The chemistry didn't match the physics.

• The distance of the moon from Earth.

• The moon's orbit.

What does the possibility that Earth and moon were made of the same 'stuff' suggest?

• The moon was captured by Earth's gravity.

• Part of the Earth may have broken off to become the moon.

• The moon was formed from asteroids.

• The moon was formed from solar winds.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-6