Formation of the Solar System

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Chapter 8

• Formation of the Solar System

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Our solar system was born from the collapse of a
great cloud of gas. A nebula that formed from
hydrogen gas and the remnants of supernovae.
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• The gravitational collapse of a great cloud of
  interstellar gas causes increased Pressure and
  Temperature.
• Density increases and collisions increase.
• The conservation of angular momentum leads to
  increased rotation as the size of the cloud gets
  smaller.
• Due to collisions and gravitational forces, the
  spinning disk flattens out as it spins.
• The highest density is in the center of this
  spinning disk, where gas collapses far enough
  that it can ignite nuclear fusion and a star is
  born.

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• Individual stars can form in smaller sections of
  larger clouds of gas. In a large nebula, many
  stars may be born.
• As stars are born, solar wind and pressure can
  lead to further birth of stars.

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Temperature and density differences tend to cause
different types of planets to form. Those that
are in the hotter center area may form rocky
planets, while those farther out, beyond the
frost line tend to be cooler planets of
condensed gas. These are the large gas giants.
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Debris is pulled toward the hot center of the gas
cloud. It collides and accretes into
planetesimals and gradually terrestrial sized
planets. Eventually, the star ignites and solar
wind clears out the remaining gas from the inner
solar system.
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Heavy bombardment leads to pock-marked worlds.
This heavy bombardments causes worlds, like the
primitive Earth to grow and heat. Asteroids and
comets bring metals and water and other compounds
to the primitive worlds. Water would have come
to Earth from planetesimals farther out in the
solar system. It is possible that the Earth-Moon
system was formed from the violent collision of
the early Earth with a Mars-sized planet.
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• In Summary
• A huge cloud of gas condenses and spins,
  flattening out into a disk.
• The core heats up and inside a frost line
  terrestrial planets form. Outside of this, gas
  giants form.
• The Solar System undergoes millions of years of
  collisions, and planets grow.
• Over time, the gravitational influences stabilize
  the solar system.