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    Formation of The Solar System: Nebular Theory

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    Mark Harvey Cruz
    1. The nebular theory holds that our solar system formed from the gravitational collapse of a giant cloud of gas and dust called the solar nebula. 2. As the nebula collapsed due to gravity and conservation of angular momentum, it flattened into a disk with the sun forming at the center and the planets forming in the disk from accretion of planetesimals. 3. The orderly motions of the planets and other features of the solar system provide evidence supporting this theory of formation from the solar nebula.

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    Formation of The Solar System: Nebular Theory

    Uploaded by

    Mark Harvey Cruz
    60 views5 pages
    1. The nebular theory holds that our solar system formed from the gravitational collapse of a giant cloud of gas and dust called the solar nebula. 2. As the nebula collapsed due to gravity and conservation of angular momentum, it flattened into a disk with the sun forming at the center and the planets forming in the disk from accretion of planetesimals. 3. The orderly motions of the planets and other features of the solar system provide evidence supporting this theory of formation from the solar nebula.

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    1. The nebular theory holds that our solar system formed from the gravitational collapse of a giant cloud of gas and dust called the solar nebula. 2. As the nebula collapsed due to gravity and conservation of angular momentum, it flattened into a disk with the sun forming at the center and the planets forming in the disk from accretion of planetesimals. 3. The orderly motions of the planets and other features of the solar system provide evidence supporting this theory of formation from the solar nebula.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    60 views5 pages

    Formation of The Solar System: Nebular Theory

    Uploaded by

    Mark Harvey Cruz
    1. The nebular theory holds that our solar system formed from the gravitational collapse of a giant cloud of gas and dust called the solar nebula. 2. As the nebula collapsed due to gravity and conservation of angular momentum, it flattened into a disk with the sun forming at the center and the planets forming in the disk from accretion of planetesimals. 3. The orderly motions of the planets and other features of the solar system provide evidence supporting this theory of formation from the solar nebula.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 5

    Origin of the Solar System

    Our theory must explain the data


    1. Large bodies in the Solar System have
    Lecture 7 orderly motions.
    Formation of the Solar System 2. There are two types of planets.
    – small, rocky terrestrial planets
    Reading: Chapter 9 – large, hydrogen-rich Jovian planets
    •Quiz#2 Today: Lecture 60 minutes, 3. Asteroids & comets exist in certain regions
    then quiz 20 minutes. of the Solar System
    •Homework#1 will be returned on 4. There are exceptions to these patterns.
    Thursday.

    Origin of the Solar System The Solar Nebula

    Nebular Theory • The nebular theory holds that our


    Solar System formed out of a
    nebula which collapsed under its
    Our Solar System formed from a giant, swirling own gravity.
    cloud of gas & dust. • observational evidence
    – We observe stars in the process of
    Depends on two principles of Physics: forming today.
    – The are always found within
    interstellar clouds of gas.
    •Newton’s Law of Gravity
    gravitaional potential energy ! heat newly born stars in the Orion Nebula
    •Conservation of angular momentum Solar Nebula
    rotational motion is conserved The cloud of gas from which our own Solar System
    formed
    Gravitational Collapse: A Scenario Angular Momentum
    1. The solar nebular was initially somewhat spherical and a • angular momentum – the momentum involved
    few light years in diameter. in spinning /circling = mass x velocity x radius
    – very cold • torque – anything that can cause a change in an
    – rotating slightly
    object’s angular momentum (twisting force)
    2. It was given a “push” by some event.
    – perhaps the shock wave from a nearby supernova
    3. As the nebula shrank, gravity increased, causing collapse.
    4. As the nebula “falls” inward, gravitational potential
    energy is converted to heat.
    – Conservation of Energy
    5. As the nebula’s radius decreases, it rotates faster
    – Conservation of Angular Momentum

    Conservation of Angular Momentum Flattening of the Solar Nebula


    • As the nebula collapses, clumps of gas collide & merge.
    • In the absence of
    • Their random velocities average out into the nebula’s direction
    a net torque, the
    of rotation. => Orderly motion
    total angular
    momentum of a • The spinning nebula assumes the shape of a disk.
    system remains
    constant.
    Collapse of the Solar Nebula Orderly Motions in the Solar System
    • The Sun formed in the very center of the nebula.
    1. As the – temperature & density were high enough for nuclear fusion reactions to
    nebula begin
    • The planets formed in the rest of the disk.
    collapses, • This would explain the following:
    it heats up, – all planets lie along one plane (in the disk)
    – all planets orbit in one direction (the spin direction of the disk)
    spins faster, – the Sun rotates in the same direction
    – the planets would tend to rotate in this same direction
    and flattens. – most moons orbit in this direction
    – most planetary orbits are near circular (collisions in the disk)

    More Support for the Nebular Theory Building the Planets I: Condensation
    • We have observed disks around other stars. Condensation – elements & compounds began
    • These could be new planetary systems in formation. to condense (i.e. solidify) out of the nebula….
    depending on temperature!
    " Pictoris

    AB Aurigae
    Colder
    Building the Planets II: Frost Line Building the Planets III: Accretion
    So only rocks & metals condensed within 3.5 AU
    of the Sun… the so-called frost line. Accretion -- small grains stick to one another via
    Hydrogen compounds (ices) condensed beyond the electromagnetic force (imagine “static electricity”)
    frost line. until they are massive enough to attract via gravity
    to form planetesimals.

    Building the Planets IV: Planetesimals Building the Planets V: Jovian planets
    Planetesimals then will:
    and their moons
    • Each gas (Jovian) planet formed its own “miniature”
    • combine near the Sun to form rocky planets
    solar nebula. (gravitational heating and conservation
    • combine beyond the frostline to form icy planetesimals
    of angular momentum.)
    which…
    • gravitationally capture H/He far from Sun to form gas • Moons formed out of the disk.
    planets
    Building the Planets VI: Solar Wind!
    Solar Wind --- charged particles streaming out
    from the Sun cleared away the leftover gas

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