Preface/Review – What We Already Know about the Solar System

The New Solar System 8 Planets 5 Dwarf Planets (so far…) Eris

[ Note: Any good hypothesis has to explain ALL of the following known facts !! ]

1)The planets are relatively isolated from each other and are spaced at regular intervals.

2) All of the planets orbit in the same flat plane (Solar System is disk-shaped.) 3) The planets revolve in the same direction that the sun rotates on its axis.

4)The planets’ orbits are elliptical, but nearly circular (except for Mercury, Pluto & Eris). Inner Planets Outer Planets

5) The sun’s rate of rotation is slower than expected.

6)The planets of the solar system contain large quantities of rare, heavy elements such as:Gold (Au), Uranium (U), Lead (Pb) and Platinum (Pt).

7) The 4 inner planets are rocky, small and very dense, with solid surfaces and thin atmospheres of heavier gases such as CO 2, N 2 and O 2. They have weak or no magnetic field and no rings.

8)The 5 outer planets are gas giants – much larger with thick atmospheres of lighter gases such as H 2, He, NH 3, CH 4 and other hydrocarbons - but much less dense. They have strong magnetic fields and well-developed ring systems.

9)There is a boundary zone in the solar system called the frost line (≈ 4 AU from our sun) beyond which it becomes cold enough for Water (H 2 O), Ammonia (NH 3 ) and Methane (CH 4 ) to become ices (i.e. frozen solid).

Frost Line Inside frost line, rocks and minerals can condense, but methane and ammonia stay in the gaseous state. 98 % of the solar nebula is hydrogen and helium gas that don’t EVER condense (always gases). Outside the frost line, even methane and ammonia condense into liquids and ices.

Note: There is an imaginary boundary in the solar nebula called the Frost Line : Frost Line  Inside the frost line - so warm that only rocks and metal can condense (turn solid).  Outside the frost line - cold enough for H compounds (water, ammonia & methane) to condense (turn into ices ).  98 % of the nebula is H and He, which won’t condense anywhere!! (They’re always gases.)

Result - the outer planets are mostly frozen ices of water (H 2 O), ammonia (NH 4 ) and methane (CH 4 ) with just a little bit of rock mixed in, while the inner planets are mostly rock and metal, because it is too warm for the Hydrogen compounds to condense. Frost Line

Result - the outer planets are mostly frozen ices of: water (H 2 O), ammonia (NH 4 ) and methane (CH 4 ) with just a little bit of rock mixed in, while the inner planets are mostly rock and metal, because it is too warm for the Hydrogen compounds to condense. Click on This Frost Line

10)Asteroids are the oldest objects in the solar system and exhibit properties not found in either Inner or Outer Planets.

11)The Kuiper Belt is a collection of asteroid-sized icy bodies and dwarf planet Pluto.

Chapter 12, Sec. 2 Birth of a Planet - Review From the Big Bang to Heavy Elements o Subatomic particles formed in the first second after the Big Bang. o Subatomic particles combined to form H and He atoms in just 380,000 years.

Chapter 12, Sec. 2 Birth of a Planet - Review From the Big Bang to Heavy Elements o H and He gas clouds formed the first stars and galaxies over the next billion years. o The Milky Way Galaxy formed about 10 billion years ago (bya).

Chapter 12, Sec. 2 Birth of a Planet - Review From the Big Bang to Heavy Elements o Nuclear reactions inside stars form elements up to and including Iron ( 26 Fe 56 ).

Chapter 12, Sec. 2 Birth of a Planet - Review From the Big Bang to Heavy Elements o Elements larger than Iron were produced by supernovas, which then splattered these elements into the nebular clouds of the surrounding galaxy.