Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology (12th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0134074254
ISBN 13: 978-0-13407-425-2

Chapter 24 - Section 24.1 - Our Solar System: An Overview - Concept Checks - Page 739: 1

Answer

Nebular theory is used to explain the formation of the solar system. It suggests that the Sun and planets formed from a rotating cloud of interstellar helium and hydrogen gases, and rotating dust called the solar nebula. The solar nebula contracted due to gravity and the material in the center formed a hot protosun. The remaining materials (gasses and dust) formed a thick, flattened rotating disk, where matter cooled and condensed into grains and clumps of icy/rocky material. These clumps repeated collided with each other, which created asteroid-sized objects called planetesimals. Then, through additional collisions and accretion, these asteroid-sized rocky bodies combined to form four protoplanets, which would eventually become Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. It took roughly 1 billion years after the formation of these protoplanets for the planets to gravitationally accumulate the interplanetary debris that allowed fro the forming of our solar system.

Work Step by Step

Nebular theory is used to explain the formation of the solar system. It suggests that the Sun and planets formed from a rotating cloud of interstellar helium and hydrogen gases, and rotating dust called the solar nebula. The solar nebula contracted due to gravity and the material in the center formed a hot protosun. The remaining materials (gasses and dust) formed a thick, flattened rotating disk, where matter cooled and condensed into grains and clumps of icy/rocky material. These clumps repeated collided with each other, which created asteroid-sized objects called planetesimals. Then, through additional collisions and accretion, these asteroid-sized rocky bodies combined to form four protoplanets, which would eventually become Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. It took roughly 1 billion years after the formation of these protoplanets for the planets to gravitationally accumulate the interplanetary debris that allowed fro the forming of our solar system.
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