Formation of the Solar System
The universe is a vast and interesting place where there are many mysteries to explore and many adventures that we, as the human race, must partake upon. Many astronomers and scientists of all kinds have spent their time finding new discoveries and creating many new theories about different aspects of the universe. Some of these discoveries and theories include planetary accretion, the differences between inner and outer planets, the formation of planetary rings, how the asteroid belt got there, the formation of Earth’s moon, and the unusual rotation of the planet Uranus. Proper understanding of each of these discoveries and theories is important when learning about our universe.
Planetary Accretion
Planetary accretion has two main theories on how the planets in our solar system were formed. The first of the two is the Solar Nebular Disk Model; this is where our Solar System’s planets started out as small pieces and started to collide together, uniting into bigger pieces and this kept happening until they became planetesimals. Once they were planetesimals, they crashed together even more until they formed planets. This was said to have been done in a very hot environment; however, many people did not believe that the planets could align like they have and rotate in the same sense after being such a colossal environment. Anne Hofmeister, PhD, and Robert Criss, PhD, at Washington University in St.Louis created a new model called 3-D Accretion. Instead of an extremely hot temperature, the environment is cold. This thermodynamic and mechanical model gives an explanation for planetary orbits and spins which the 2-D model could not. This model takes on a 3-D gas cloud which collapses and forms our solar system, the Sun and all the planets, at fundamentally the same time. With this model, the planets are contracting towards the Sun. ("A new take," 2012)
Inner vs. Outer Planets
Our solar system`s inner and outer planets have major differences between them. The inner
Planetary Accretion
Planetary accretion has two main theories on how the planets in our solar system were formed. The first of the two is the Solar Nebular Disk Model; this is where our Solar System’s planets started out as small pieces and started to collide together, uniting into bigger pieces and this kept happening until they became planetesimals. Once they were planetesimals, they crashed together even more until they formed planets. This was said to have been done in a very hot environment; however, many people did not believe that the planets could align like they have and rotate in the same sense after being such a colossal environment. Anne Hofmeister, PhD, and Robert Criss, PhD, at Washington University in St.Louis created a new model called 3-D Accretion. Instead of an extremely hot temperature, the environment is cold. This thermodynamic and mechanical model gives an explanation for planetary orbits and spins which the 2-D model could not. This model takes on a 3-D gas cloud which collapses and forms our solar system, the Sun and all the planets, at fundamentally the same time. With this model, the planets are contracting towards the Sun. ("A new take," 2012)
Inner vs. Outer Planets
Our solar system`s inner and outer planets have major differences between them. The inner