What Theory of Mercury's Origin Can Best Explain the Fact

question 5

Multiple Choice

What theory of Mercury's origin can best explain the fact that its core is made of such dense materials?

• A) Mercury was formed in the outer solar system and later wound up in its present orbit
• B) giant impacts in its early history may have torn away much of its original crust and mantle
• C) giant impacts early in its history added a tremendous amount of material to the original planet
• D) a large satellite (made of the same material as the Earth's Moon) crashed into Mercury early in its history
• E) Mercury was briefly inside the Sun, and thus lost much of its earliest material

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Definitions:

Gender

A social construct that encompasses the roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women.

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A social construct used to categorize humans into large and distinct groups based on various factors, including physical appearance, ancestry, and culture.

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