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HW # 7 / Ch. 7 Earth and its moon AST 110 Christina Caruso
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Where does water of EARTH come from? Scientists believe that the water on Earth has two primary sources. Firstly, the solar nebula that formed our Solar System contained volatiles like water vapor and other volatile elements. Secondly, comets and other icy bodies that collided with Earth during its early years are also considered sources of water. As the Solar System was forming, the solar nebula was made up of dust and gas. Due to high temperatures in the inner regions of the nebula, most of the
volatiles, including water, evaporated and were blown outwards by the solar wind. However, in the outer regions of the nebula, the low temperatures allowed water vapor and other volatiles to condense into solid ice grains. This process eventually led to the formation of comets and other icy bodies. During the formation of Earth, it was bombarded by comets and other icy bodies that contained water and other volatiles. These collisions delivered substantial amounts of water to the surface of the planet, forming oceans. As time passed, Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field developed, protecting the planet from further bombardment by comets and other objects. Nevertheless, the planet's water still goes through processes like evaporation, precipitation, and groundwater flow in its hydrosphere, atmosphere, and lithosphere. In conclusion, the water on Earth is a result of the fusion of the solar nebula and comets and other icy bodies that collided with Earth during its formation.
What is the origin of our moon? The Moon, a celestial object that has fascinated scientists for centuries, remains a topic of
intense research and discussion. Over time, several theories have been put forward to explain the Moon's origins. In this academic discussion, we will provide a detailed description of each
theory. One of the most widely accepted theories is the
"Giant Impact Hypothesis."
According to this theory, a Mars-sized protoplanet collided with the early Earth around 4.5 billion years ago. The impact caused debris to be ejected into orbit around the planet, which eventually coalesced under the influence of gravity to form the Moon. This theory is supported by various pieces of evidence, including the similarities in composition between the Moon and Earth, the Moon's elliptical orbit around Earth, and the lack of volatile content in the Moon's mantle. Another theory that has gained some traction among scientists is the "Multiple Impact Theory." This theory suggests that the Moon was formed from multiple smaller collisions between Earth and other celestial bodies, such as asteroids. The repeated collisions created a debris disk around the Earth that eventually evolved into a small moonlet that later became the Moon. Another theory is "
The Capture Theory," which posits that the Moon was initially formed around another planet in the Solar System and was later captured by Earth's gravitational field. However,
this theory has yet to gain widespread acceptance, as it fails to explain the Moon's unique composition and isotopic ratios. Next, "The Fission Theory," which suggests that the Moon was
once a part of Earth and was ejected from the planet due to its rapid spin during the early days of its formation, is another theory that has been proposed. However, like the capture theory, it cannot explain the differences in composition between the Moon and Earth. Finally, "
The Co-
accretion Theory"
proposes that the Moon and Earth formed together from the same cloud of gas and dust that eventually gave rise to the Solar System. The Moon formed in orbit around Earth from debris left over from the planet's formation. While each theory presents a unique perspective on the Moon's origin, the "Giant Impact Hypothesis."
remains the most widely accepted theory among scientists. Various pieces of evidence support it and comprehensively explain several essential features of the Moon and its relationship with Earth.
Works Cited
Fraknoi, Andrew, et al. “9.4 The Origin of the Moon.”
Astronomy
, OpenStax, 2013.
livescience.com/33391-where-did-water-come-from.html
llnl.gov/article/48436/where-earth-did-water-come
Lillo-Box, J., et al. ArXiv.Org, Ithaca, 2018,
The TROY Project: Searching for Co-Orbital Bodies to Known Planets. I. Project Goals and First Results from Archival Radial Velocity
,
Accessed 13 Nov. 2023.
Redd, Nola Taylor.
Astronomy (Milwaukee)
, vol. 47, no. 5, 2019, pp. 22–31.
sciencenews.org/article/how-did-earth-get-its-water
sciencefocus.com/space/how-we-explained-the-origin-of-the-moon.
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