## Nebular Hypothesis --- ### Background Up to this point, we've discussed the following: - Gravity's role in gathering material into structures. - How the Sun (and other stars) work with the four fundamental forces all playing a role. --- ### Zooming Out to the Solar System - Now, let's zoom out a little further and see how star systems (like our solar system) may have formed, with the Sun and planets getting created from the same solar nebula. - This process is called the **nebular hypothesis**, and it is the leading theory that explains how star systems form. --- <iframe width="940" height="560" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sCkhEu3lYNc?si=hIjSEVouctntlODM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe> --- <div style="display:flex;justify-content:center;"> <img src="https://lms.dbuckley.dev/assets/img/nebula.png" width="1235" height="695" style="max-width:none;max-height:none;margin-top:-0.5rem;"> </div> --- <div style="display:flex;justify-content:center;"> <img src="https://lms.dbuckley.dev/assets/img/matter-dist.png" width="1235" height="695" style="max-width:none;max-height:none;margin-top:-0.5rem;"> </div> --- ### Key Ideas <ul> <li class="fragment" data-fragment-index="0">A <b>Nebula</b> is a cloud of gas and dust in space.</li> <li class="fragment" data-fragment-index="1">A <b>Protostar</b> is a baby star; a large, hot, collection of gas about to undergo fusion.</li> <li class="fragment" data-fragment-index="2">An <b>Accretion Disk</b> is created as gas and dust orbit the center of mass of a young star system.</li> <li class="fragment" data-fragment-index="3">A <b>Protoplanet</b> is a baby planetary object.</li> <li class="fragment" data-fragment-index="4">Heavier elements were left near the sun while lighter elements were pushed outward by heat and centrifugal force.</li> </ul>