Why did the ejected orbital debris coalesce into a single satellite (the Moon) rather than forming a second, independent planet?
Answer
The material was gravitationally bound to Earth, and orbital dynamics favored aggregation into a stable satellite orbit
Due to being gravitationally bound to the Earth-Theia system and influenced by tidal forces and orbital mechanics, the material preferred to aggregate into one large, stable satellite mass rather than achieving the mass needed to clear its own path as a planet.
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