Download Nebular Theory worksheet 2017

Nebular Theory: Solar System Formation
Name: _______________________________________________Period:____ Online: ______ Due Date:__________
Purpose: To understand the Nebular Theory by correctly putting the descriptions and pictures of the nebula theory in
chronological order (with 1 being the start and 7 being the end).To help you complete this task, read the following below.
How Solar Systems Form
Using the infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently
discovered two “new” or “young” stars which were orbited by large clouds of tiny particles, mostly gas and dust. It is
proposed that the dust clouds, pulled together by gravity will eventually form the planets that make up a solar system. It is
further proposed that our solar system was once a star surrounded by a dust cloud.
It is currently theorized that our solar system (and others like it) formed from a collapsing nebula. A nebula is a swirling
collection of gases (mostly hydrogen and helium) and dust particles (solid matter in the form of iron, rock and ice) that is
left over from a supernova explosion (A supernova is an explosion of a massive older star in its final phase of life).
Scientists believe that the material within the nebula began to collapse (due to gravity) and then rotate. At some point, the
speed of rotation became too great to hold all the material together at the center, and much of the matter spread out like a
pancake. A bulge remaining in the center of the pancake continued to collapse. This central bulge eventually became the
Sun. This young star was fed by the pancake material which its gravity pulled inward. Soon the Sun was surrounded by
tightly packed rings.
Eventually the energy from the materials feeding into the Sun caused a flare up which blasted hydrogen and helium gases
in to the outer regions of the solar system and left chunks of solid matter closer in. This created two ring-like layers, one
with dense collections of solid material and another with dense collections of gaseous materials. Over millions of years
the solid chunks collected together to form the inner or terrestrial planets – Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars – while the
outlying packets of collapsing gases formed the Gas Giants – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Today the planets rotate around the sun. It is believed that rotation began as the nebula formed and continued on
through each stage.
Descriptions: Place the descriptions in order. 1 starts it and 7 ends the formation of the solar system.
____: A swirling nebula forms from
the materials left behind by a
supernova.
____: Two ring-like layers form: A
solid ring close in and gas layer
further out.
____: A young star forms.
____: Inner Planets and Gas Giant
Planets round into form.
____: A nebula collapses and
rotates.
____: A nebula “pancakes” with
central bulge.
____: A flare up from a young star
blasts hydrogen and helium gas
outward.