THE SOLAR SYSTEM HOW DID THE SOLAR SYSTEM

THE SOLAR SYSTEM HOW DID THE SOLAR SYSTEM FORM?

SOLAR SYSTEM = STAR + PLANETS

IN THE BEGINNING • Nebula – cloud of gas and dust in space

NEBULAR THEORY • The idea that the solar system formed from a collapsing, spinning nebula

STEP 1 – COLD, SLOWLY SPINNING NEBULA

WHAT IS IN THE NEBULA? 1. Gas – Mostly Hydrogen and Helium [98%] 2. Ices – Mostly water (H 2 O), ammonia (NH 3), methane (CH 4) [1. 4%] 3. Rock and Metal – Same things Earth is made of [0. 6%]

STEP 2 – NEBULA COLLAPSES

STEP 3 – NEBULA FLATTENS INTO DISK

STEP 4 – ROCK AND SNOW LINES FORM

STEP 5 – SMALL PROTOPLANETS FORM 4 Vesta (asteroid)

STEP 6 – GRAVITY OF PROTOPLANETS PULL IN MORE MATERIAL FROM DISK Actual picture

STEP 7 – FULL PLANETS DEVELOP

INNER (ROCKY) PLANETS • Made of mostly rock and metal • Smaller than outer planets

ASTEROID BELT • Section of LOTS of rocky meteoroids between Mars and Jupiter • Asteroid = largest of the meteoroids, mini planet/planetesimal (planet that never grew because of Jupiter’s gravity)

OUTER (GAS GIANT) PLANETS • Made of mostly gas and ice • Bigger than inner planets

KUIPER BELT • Large concentration of icy objects at edge of the solar system • Main place where comets come from

Rotational Force Spinning Force Inertia Force Gravitational Force The balance of gravity and rotation keeps the planets in orbit What would happen if the gravitational force stopped? What would happen if rotational force stopped?

The balance of gravity and rotation keeps the planets in orbit AND made the solar system form