Earth Science L1

Universe and the Solar System

Big Bang

• Widely accepted
scientific theory.
• Expansion of the
universe.

Steady State

• Known as Infinite
Universe Theory.
• Constant universe.

Pulsating Universe

• Expansion and
contraction of the
Universe.

What is a Solar System

Geocentric- the idea that the Earth is the center

of the universe and other objects go around it(Ptolemy)

Heliocentric- one in which the planets revolve around a fixed sun.(Nicolaus)

Nebular Hypothesis

Proponents: Pierre-Simon Laplace, Immanuel Kant,

and Emanuel Swedenborg (P.I.E)

Idea: There was a rotating gaseous cloud that cools

and contracts in the middle to form the sun and the
rest into a disc that become the planets.

The Characteristics of Earth that Can Support Life:

1. Temperature
Not too hot, not too cold.

2. Water
You cannot live without water.

3. Atmosphere
Traps the heat. Shield from harmful
radiation.

4. Energy
To run life processes.(ATP)

5. Nature
Build and maintain an organism‟s
body.

6. Magnetic field
Protect from flares coming from nearby
stars and from harmful radiation.

(New Mat or Wat Men)

Earth’s 4 Subsystems

Biosphere-
Hydrosphere

Atmosphere
Geosphere

Layer Mass Volume Material

Crust 1% 0.5% to 1% Si, O

Mantle 67% 83% Si, O, Mg

Core 33% 16% Fe,Ni

(Inner Core is solid)

Theories

The Modern Laplacian Theory

-(P.I.E)+Andrew Prentice

-"Modern Laplacian Theory" each planet accretes within a discrete circumsolar gas ring.
Prentice's nested gas rings arise due to the effect of 'supersonic turbulent convection' in slowing
the infall of interstellar dust and gas.
-Instead of collapsing directly to form a flat continuous disk, due to 'turbulent stress' the gas
temporarily remains puffed up in a vast rotating spheroidal atmosphere around the protosolar
core. This atmosphere spins faster as it slowly contracts. It rids itself of excess angular
momentum by sequentially shedding gas rings from its equator.

Protoplanet Theory
-Protoplanets are relatively small space objects, similar in size to a moon or slightly larger.
They can be thought of as tiny planets, even smaller than dwarf planets.

● Formation of Protoplanetary Disks

-protoplanetary disk forms when a cloud of gas and dust collapses under gravity,
creating a flat, spinning disk. Within this disk, particles collide and stick together to form
planetesimals, which are the building blocks of future planets.

● Accretion and Planetesimal Formation

-describes how small dust particles come together to form planetesimals, which then
accumulate more material to become protoplanets. These protoplanets continue to grow
until they eventually become planets within our solar system.

-gradual aggregation of solid particles to create larger celestial objects. It occurs within a
gas and solid particle-filled disk, where the solid particles make up around 1% of the
disk's total mass

● Growth and Differentiation of Protoplanets

-Protoplanets grow by accumulating more material through collisions and gravitational

attraction. As they grow, they can undergo differentiation, where denser materials
migrate to their core, while lighter materials form their outer layers.

-This process leads to the development of distinct layers within the protoplanet, such as
a core, mantle, and possibly a crust, setting the stage for further planetary evolution.

● Clearing of Orbital Paths

-Protoplanets and planets clear their orbital paths of smaller debris and dust through
gravitational interactions, ensuring the stability of the planetary system. This
phenomenon involves celestial objects gradually removing or altering smaller bodies like
asteroids and comets within their orbital zones, resulting in well-defined orbits around
their host stars.
 ● Planetary Migration

-Planetary migration is the movement of planets within a protoplanetary disk. It occurs

due to gravitational interactions with other planets or objects in the system. Planetary
migration can lead to changes in a planet's position and orbital characteristics, impacting
the final arrangement of a planetary system.

Capture Theory
-Proposed by Michael Mark Woolfson in 1964

-the Solar System formed from tidal interactions between the Sun and a low-density protostar.

-The Sun's gravity would have drawn material from the diffuse atmosphere of the protostar,
which would then have collapsed to form the protoplanets, eventually turning into planets.

-When the solar system was forming, a large object came too close to the earth and was
trapped in the earth’s gravitational pull and formed the moon

Solar Nebula Theory

-(P.I.E)
-The solar nebula theory describes the formation of our solar system from a nebula cloud made
from a collection of dust and gas.

Accretion
-In astrophysics, the term accretion refers to the growth in mass of any celestial object due to its
gravitational attraction. The formation of stars and planets and the powerful emissions from
quasars, radio galaxies, X-ray binaries.

Supernova

-Derived from nova (Latin: “new”), the name for another type of exploding star. Any of a class of
violently exploding stars whose luminosity after eruption suddenly increases many millions of
times its normal level.

Nebula
-(Latin: “mist” or “cloud”) plural nebulae or nebulas, any of the various tenuous clouds of gas
and dust that occur in interstellar space.

1. Nebula Starts to Colapse

a large cloud of dust and gas (a nebula) collapsed under its own gravity

2. Force of rotation in the center

As the nebula collapsed, it spun faster and develops a center point of rotating material
and flattened out into a disk shape.

3. Formation of a Planetesimal

Chunks of smaller rocky material collide

4. Growth of a Planetesimal

Gravity increases with size, attracting the surrounding smaller rocks, gases and dust.

5. Formation of a Protoplanet

Planetesimals begin to collide and join together through gravity becoming Protoplanets.
(continually growing, but with a more regular, spherical shape).

6. A new solar system is formed

The remaining dust and gas are eventually removed. leaving planets around the sun