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9.5: The formation of the Solar System

9.5: The formation of the Solar System . Astronomy Unit. Background Terms. Nebula: the beginning of a star; massive cloud of dust, hydrogen, helium and other gases. Background terms.

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9.5: The formation of the Solar System

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  1. 9.5: The formation of the Solar System Astronomy Unit

  2. Background Terms • Nebula: the beginning of a star; massive cloud of dust, hydrogen, helium and other gases

  3. Background terms • Supernova= a stellar explosion that occurs at the end of a massive star’s life (those that are much larger than the sun) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxNhOaVJbJM

  4. Background terms • Protostar: a massive concentration of gas and dust thought to eventually develop into a star after the nebula collapses

  5. Background Terms • Nuclear Fusion: an atomic reaction that fuels stars, mostly converting hydrogen into helium. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKqvjEE0wFg

  6. Solar Nebular Theory • Solar system was formed about 5 billion years ago • Massive cloud of gas and dust (solar nebula) began to contract • Inside nebula, clumps of gas and dust began to form • One of these clumps became a protostar • As protostar contracted, temperature and pressure in its core increased

  7. Image of nebula contracting

  8. Solar Nebular Theory cont’d • More particles attracted to protostar and it continued to contract under its own gravity • As cloud collapsed, it spun faster, further increasing temperature and pressure at its core • Once cloud became hot enough for nuclear fusion to occur, contracting material formed a disc of gas and dust around the protostar’s centre

  9. Solar Nebular Theory cont’d • The Sun formed from this disc • Lighter gases accumulated in outer solar system to form gas giant planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus) • Denser clumps of solid matter formed terrestrial inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) • It is estimated it took about 30 million years for Sun to become a newborn star

  10. Image of solar nebula theory

  11. Evidence for Solar Nebular Theory • Planets orbit Sun in the same direction • Planets are all in same plane, with Sun at the centre • Most planets rotate in same direction on their axes • Terrestrial planets are closer to Sun than gas giants • Other planetary systems have been observed in various stages of the formation process

  12. Video: Solar Nebula Theory • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1AXbpYndGc • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFLOsRSuW0E

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