Download The solar system

The solar system
Topic # 2
Term # 2
The Local System
It’s a nebula thing!
Looking at the needs of a solar system
• Everything that is needed to create
stars, planets, moons are found in
the clouds between stars,
NEBULAS.
• Gases such as hydrogen, helium
and dust in the form of elements
such as carbon and iron are
needed to begin the process.
Forces in space…
What is needed to create the solar nebula.
• The gases & dust in a Nebula are
made of matter.
• The matter of Nebulas are held
together by gravity. The
gravitational attraction in a nebula
is very weak.
• The force is enough to keep the
nebula together.
Forces in space…
If gravity wasn’t enough…
• If gravity keeps pulling on the
materials found in a nebula, it
would collapse in on itself!!
• Pressure & temperature
balance out gravity. Pressure
of the particles of matter push
outward against gravity.
Upsetting the balance.
Birth of a Solar Nebula…
• If the balance between gravity
and pressure is upset by two
nebulas colliding or a nearby
star exploding, it will create a
Solar Nebula.
• This cloud of gas and dust is
the basis for the formation of
a solar system.
Building a solar system.
A step by step guide…
• As as the solar nebula
collapsed, it flattened out and
began to rotate around a
center of heated gas.
• The center of the solar nebula
is the location of a protostar
in its infant stage.
The birth theory
The beginning of the planetary system.
• As the rotating solar nebula
continued to rotate, gas and dust
began to under the force of gravity
collect into larger objects known as
planetesimals.
• Some of these planetesimals
developed into the core of planets
while others collided with planets
to create large craters.
The “slow” theory
Looking at the Birth theory…
• First tiny dust grains collide to form
larger clumps. This process yields
solid cores roughly 10 x the mass
of Earth.
• Their powerful gravity sucks in the
gases from the disk to create a
giant gas covered planet.
• This process could take several
million years.
The “fast” theory
Looking at the Birth Theory…
• Gravity causes the disk of gases &
dust to collapse into dense clouds.
The cloud shrinks as material falls
towards the center.
• The rest of the clouds contract,
forming a gas giant.
• This process could take less than a
million years.
Where to find a winner?
Looking at the different types of planets…
• The larger planets in our solar
system are found further from the
sun.
• The lighter gases (hydrogen &
helium) were more abundant
there.
• Closer to the nebula, it was too hot
for gases to remain, this is a
plausible reason why the inner
planets are rocky.
Your new solar system!
The final stage in the process…
• As the planets were forming, all of
the extra material was being pulled
towards the center.
• The temperature at the center
became so great that nuclear
fusion occurred.
• The explosion created a new star
(our sun) which swept away all of
the left over material that was in
the solar nebula
A solar review…
Review of the origin of planetary solar systems.
• Where is all of the material that is needed for a system found?
• What are the three “forces” that need to be in balance to keep the nebula
•
•
•
•
•
together?
What is a solar nebula? Illustrate.
What is found at the center of a solar nebula?
What is the Birth Theory? Explain both the “Slow” & “Fast” theories.
What is a planetesimal?
What type of planets are found near the sun? Further out from the sun?
Why?