One particularly important collision in the early inner solar system about 100 million years after Earth's formation resulted in the:
A) extinction of 70% of the species then in existence on Earth, including the dinosaurs.
B) formation of a secondary asteroid belt between the orbits of Earth and Venus.
C) destruction of the planet Vulcan, which had an orbit inside the orbit of Mercury..
D) formation of our Moon.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The collision referred to in the question is believed to have involved a Mars-sized object impacting with Earth, with the debris from the impact eventually coalescing to form the Moon. This is known as the giant impact hypothesis, and is widely accepted as the most likely explanation for the formation of our Moon.

One Particularly Important Collision in the Early Inner Solar System