Formation of the Solar System

Solar Nebula Theory Solar System was formed from a massive cloud of gas and dust collapsed forming dense clumps of matter over time the cloud became hot enough for nuclear fusion to begin a disc of gas was formed around the core

Solar Nebula Theory the Sun formed from the centre of the disc solar winds pushed lighter gases away, accumulated to form the gas giants denser clumps of solid matter remained close to the Sun forming the terrestrial planets over time

Evidence for the Solar Nebula Theory explains key aspects of the Solar System (planets orbit the Sun in same direction, planets in the same plane etc.) other planetary systems in various stages of this formation process can simulate the process with computers

The Origin and Evolution of the Universe

Our Expanding Universe 1. What did Albert Einstein’s equations predict? Universe is expanding 2. What was the surprising discovery that Edwin Hubble made? All galaxies appeared to be moving away from each other

Evidence for Our Expanding Universe 3. What is the phenomenon known as Red Shift? light from galaxies shifting toward the red end of the visible spectrum 4. What does it indicate? Galaxies are moving away from Earth

Evidence for Our Expanding Universe 5. What is “dark matter”? hidden mass, its gravity is holding galaxies together 6. How did astronomers discover dark matter? stars moving faster then expected given the mass of the stars and matter they can see

Evidence for Our Expanding Universe 7. What have astronomers observed about the rate of expansion of the Universe? the rate of expansion is increasing 8. What is “dark energy”? strange form of energy working against the force of gravity

The Origin of the Universe The Big Bang theory explains the origin of the Universe

The Big Bang Theory all matter and energy in the Universe expanded from a hot, dense mass occurred approx. 13.7 billion years ago at first instance the Universe was expanding energy which cooled to form clumps of matter, making up our Solar System

Evidence for the Big Bang Theory static interference from the remnants of energy released during the Big Bang mapping of the radiation in the Universe after the Big Bang satellites that provide information of when the first stars began to shine

IN THE BEGINNING…….

EVERYTHING!

EVERYTHING!

STARTS EXPANDING….. EVERYTHING! ENERGY INCREASING, BECOMING LIKE A BOMB…….

Tick tick tick……

BOOM!

The Big Bang not really an ‘explosion’ universe expanded rapidly as a whole (universe is still expanding today as a result of the Big Bang) matter was created in the form of tiny particles (protons, neutrons, electrons) too hot for normal ‘stuff’ to form (e.g. atoms, molecules)

COSMIC ‘SOUP’

COSMIC ‘SOUP’ PROTON NEUTRON ELECTRON

300,000 Years Later….. Universe much cooler, atoms start to form….. Hydrogen, Helium, normal ‘stuff’

Universe is now a GAS HELIUM HYDROGEN

GRAVITY!

Gravitational Collapse we started with a uniform gas small regions became more dense the denser regions had larger gravity and started to pull other particles towards them the gaseous Universe began to look ‘clumpy’

What have we learnt? the Universe started with a BIG BANG gradually the particles were drawn together under GRAVITY to form STARS and GALAXIES many stars have planets around them the fate of the Universe is uncertain…