Formation of the Solar System Carin Miranda SMS

A Solar System is Born The solar system is composed of the sun, Earth, 7 other planets, and other cosmic bodies. Solar Nebula-dust and gas that clump together to form interstellar clouds.

What Holds it All Together Gravity pulls it together. Pressure pushes it apart. Because of these two forces nebula remain stable.

From Planetesimals to Planets Solar Nebula begins to collapse. It rotates, flattens, and gets warmer in the center. Bits of dust and gas begin sticking together forming planetesimals. Small planetesimals begin bumping into larger planetesimals and they combine. Remaining dust and gas is eventually removed leaving the planets.

Planets Outer plants are made of gas (except for Pluto which is no longer a planet). Inner planets are made mostly of rocky material because the heat from the sun.

Craters and Comets Collisions with smaller planetesimals and other cosmic bodies have left the inner planets with many craters. If the planetesimal is icy we call it a comet.

Planetary Motion The solar system is 4.6 billion years old. Rotation-Spinning on axis. 24 hours. Revolution-the motion of a planet around the sun. 365 days. Orbit- the PATH around the sun.

Newton’s law of Universal Gravitation Every object in the universe attracts every other object in the universe with a force dependent on its mass and the square of the distance between them. Example if you move objects twice as far apart the gravitational attraction between them will decrease by a factor of 2 X 2=4.

What Keeps Objects Being Pulled by Gravity from Crashing Into Each Other?

The Sun It is a star. The Center of our Solar System. Gives us light and warmth. Made of gas

Layers of the Sun Corona-sun’s outer atmosphere. Only visible during a total solar eclipse. Chromosphere-below the corona. Only visible during a total solar eclipse. Photosphere-Visible layer of the sun. Convective zone-Gases circulate in convective currents. Radiative zone-very dense region below the convective zone. Core-center of the sun. Where the sun’s energy is produced.

Layers of the Sun

Energy Production Burning for 4.6 billion years. Nuclear Fusion- Process by which two or more nuclei join together. Energy is released.

Activity on the Sun’s Surface Sunspots-cool dark spots on the sun. Solar Flares-giant storms on the surface of the sun.

The Earth Takes Shape Gravity gives planets their spherical shape. Heat causes part of the interior of Earth to remain molten.

Layers of the Earth Heavier elements sank into the core. It is in the center of the Earth. The mantle forms the middle layer Less dense objects rose to the outer layer forming the crust.

Layers of the Earth

Earth’s Atmosphere Today the atmosphere is 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, and 1% argon. Early in Earth’s history the planet may have been molten. Impacts with comets brought elements such as carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and even water.