The fact that most moons always show the same face to their planet is
A)very surprising and a great mystery.
B)a natural consequence of the fact that the entire solar nebula rotated in the same direction.
C)explained by the law of conservation of angular momentum.
D)a natural consequence of tidal forces acting on the moons.
E)a result of the fact that the moons once had atmospheres.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is due to tidal locking, where the gravitational pull between a planet and its moon causes the moon to rotate at the same rate that it orbits the planet, resulting in the same side always facing the planet.

The Fact That Most Moons Always Show the Same Face