Formation of the Solar System This is a picture of the Eagle Nebula taken by the Hubble Telescope in 1995. A nebula is a cloud of gas and dust in space. Image source: http://library.thinkquest.org/3645/universe.html

The Nebula Collapses These nebulas contain hydrogen, helium, small amounts of other elements and dust. Where did that nebular gas and dust come from?

The Collapse Leads to Denser Materials The particles within the nebula become denser. The dense particles are PLANETESIMALS

Acceleration = Density As the collapse speeds up, the cloud becomes denser at the center. What is forming in the center of this cloud? Image Source: http://www.centauri-dreams.org/wp-content/uploads/2006/02/counterrotate.single.jpg

A Solar System is Born A sun-like star forms in the hot, dense center of the cloud. The rotating disk and planetesimals become planets. How and why did the rotating “chunks” become rounded, spherical planets? Image Source: http://jcconwell.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/solar-system-formation-early-1.jpg

There are Inner and Outer Planets Planets closer to the Sun are different than planets farther away from the Sun. Why? Image Source: http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/149759main_CarbonDiskMacLG.jpg

Steps of the Formation of the Solar System 1. There was a nebula of gas and dust. 2. The nebula starts collapsing and gravity pulls matter into the center of the cloud. 3. The collapse speeds up, and the cloud becomes denser at the center. 4. The cloud flattens into a disk. 5. The disk starts to rotate. 6. A star forms from the dense matter in the center, and the remaining matter forms planets as they orbit the new star.

How would you illustrate this process? Image Source: http://shayol.bartol.udel.edu/~rhdt/diploma/lecture_11/solar-system.jpg