Formation of the Planets

The video explains the formation of planets in the solar system through the nebular hypothesis. Initially, a cold, spinning cloud of gas, known as the solar nebula, formed due to uneven gas distribution. Gravity condensed the gas, forming an accretion disk and eventually a protostar, the Sun. Protoplanets formed from clumps of gas, dust, and rock, growing by trapping material. The nebular hypothesis explains the arrangement of planets, with rocky planets closer to the Sun and gas giants farther away. Although not directly testable, it provides a useful framework for understanding solar system formation.

What is the nebular hypothesis primarily used to explain?

• The creation of black holes

• The formation of galaxies

• The formation of the solar system

• The expansion of the universe

What forms at the center of the accretion disk during the solar system's formation?

• A protostar

• A black hole

• A planet

• A galaxy

How do protoplanets grow during their formation?

• By trapping material in their gravitational fields

• By colliding with stars

• By expanding due to heat

• By absorbing light

Why do all planets in our solar system travel in the same direction and plane?

• They were pushed by solar winds

• They formed from the same cloud of gas and dust

• They were aligned by magnetic fields

• They were arranged by asteroid impacts

Why are rocky planets located closer to the Sun compared to gas giants?

• Rocky planets are heavier

• Gas giants are attracted to the Sun

• Solar winds pushed lighter gases outward

• Rocky planets formed later