What specific physical characteristic of the Moon supports the Giant Impact Hypothesis?
Answer
Depleted iron core relative to Earth
The Giant Impact Hypothesis successfully explains several key physical characteristics of the Moon that would be difficult to account for otherwise. Chief among these is the Moon's internal composition, particularly its iron core. Compared to Earth, which has a large, dense iron core, the Moon possesses one that is significantly depleted in iron. This depletion strongly suggests that the Moon formed primarily from the ejected mantle material of both Earth and the impactor, leaving the denser, iron-rich cores of the two bodies to largely merge with the remaining proto-Earth.
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