The Formation of the Solar System

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to the formation of the solar system as discussed in the lecture notes.

Solar System Formation

The process by which the solar system originated from a nebula or through a catastrophic event involving another star.

Catastrophic Encounter Hypothesis

A theory suggesting that a near-collision with another star caused matter to be torn loose, forming the planets.

Collapsing Nebula Hypothesis

A theory proposing that the solar system formed from a cloud of gas and dust that imploded under gravity.

Angular Momentum

The property of a rotating body that is conserved; as the nebula shrinks, the speed of particles increases.

Wave-Particle Duality

The concept that subatomic particles, such as electrons, exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties.

Tidal Tails of Galaxies

Stretched arms of stars and gas seen in colliding galaxies, which can provide insight into galaxy formation.

Kepler’s 3rd Law

A law stating that the square of the orbital period of a planet is proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its orbit.

Accretion Disk

A rotating disk of dense gas and dust surrounding a forming star, where planets can develop.

Frost Line

The point in the solar nebula beyond which ices can condense and solidify.

Gas Recycling

The process by which dying stars return gas to the interstellar medium, enriching it with heavier elements.

Orbital Resonance

A gravitational phenomenon where two orbiting bodies exert regular, periodic gravitational influence on each other.

Planetesimals

Small bodies of solid material in the protoplanetary disk that collide and accumulate to form planets.

Hydrogen and Helium

The primary chemical elements created during the Big Bang, making up most of the early universe.

Collision Theory

The concept that particles in a nebula collide, causing the nebula to flatten and rotate.

Thermal Energy

The energy possessed by an object due to its motion, which increases as particles rub against each other.

The Orion Nebula

A stellar nursery where new stars are forming from the collapsing gas and dust.

Star Formation

The process by which dense regions within molecular clouds collapse to form stars.

Newton’s Laws

Three physical laws laid down by Isaac Newton that describe the relationship between a body and the forces acting on it.

Gravitational Potential Energy

The energy held by an object because of its position relative to other objects, typically within a gravitational field.

Chaotic Orbits

Random paths taken by planets as a result of gravitational interactions and collisions during their formation.

Radio Telescope

An instrument used to observe celestial objects by detecting radio waves emitted from them.