The reading and listening are both about the formation of the Moon.

The reading suggests that there

are three hypotheses that are considered as the reasons that caused the formation of the Moon.
However, these specific claims challenged by the lecturer. He is the opinion that none of these ideas are
convincing.

To begin with, the writer claims that the Moon was a part of the Earth in the past and then separated
from it due to the formation of solar system. In contrast, the lecturer suggests that if this separation
happened, it would have destroyed the planet. Moreover, the Moon rocks should have had a various
chemical composition. In addition, the Moon would have to been hotter than the Earth for separation to
happen.

Secondly, the author of the reading suggests that the Moon and the Earth was formed at the same time.
According to this theory, they formed from the nebula of interstellar dust and gas. The lecturer
challenges this argument made by the author. He is the opinion that gravitational forces would have
caused integration, not separation. Furthermore, if the Moon and the Earth was formed at the same
time, they should share more common characteristics. However, the Moon’s core is twenty percent of
iron while the Earth’s core is fifty percent of iron.

Finally, the writer posits that the Moon was formed from the debris of a collision between the Earth and
a planetary body. It is estimated that a number of pieces from collision eventually joined together to
form the Moon. However, the lecturer maintains that this debris would have more to form a group of
moons instead of one large Moon.