Formation of Our Solar System How do we know? Shape of our solar system Differences among the planets Oldest planetary surfaces Asteroids, meteorites, and comets.
A Collapsing Interstellar Cloud Formation of Our Solar System A Collapsing Interstellar Cloud Interstellar Clouds: Stars and planets form from clouds of gas and dust. The interstellar clouds are made mostly of: hydrogen and helium
A Collapsing Interstellar Cloud Formation of Our Solar System A Collapsing Interstellar Cloud As a result of gravity… interstellar gas starts to condense.
A Collapsing Interstellar Cloud Formation of Our Solar System A Collapsing Interstellar Cloud The collapse starts slow, then accelerates Cloud becomes much denser at its center.
Sun and Planet Formation Formation of Our Solar System Sun and Planet Formation The Solar Nebula: A rotating disk of dust and gas. The center becomes the Sun.
Sun and Planet Formation Formation of Our Solar System Sun and Planet Formation As the disk began to cool, different elements and compounds were able to condense depending on their distance from the Sun determined compositions of the forming planets. Hotter Cooler
Sun and Planet Formation Formation of Our Solar System Sun and Planet Formation
Sun and Planet Formation Formation of Our Solar System Sun and Planet Formation The Growth of Objects Planetesimals : formed as smaller particles collided and stuck together.
Asteroids Pieces of Asteroids Formation of Our Solar System Asteroids Pieces of Asteroids As the asteroids orbit, they occasionally collide and break into fragments. A meteoroid is a asteroid fragment or other material that enters Earth’s atmosphere. A meteor is the streak of light produced when a meteoroid burns up in Earth’s atmosphere. A meteorite is part of a meteoroid, that does not completely burn up, that collides with the ground.
Comets Periodic Comets Formation of Our Solar System Comets Periodic Comets Meteor showers occur when Earth intersects a cometary orbit and numerous particles from the comet burn up upon entering Earth’s upper atmosphere. “Shooting stars”
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