The Solar Nebula Hypothesis

Solar System Formation

• Solar Nebula Hypothesis suggests the solar system formed from a rotating cloud of gas and dust called a solar nebula.
• As the nebula collapsed under its own gravity, it formed a spinning disk with the sun at its center and planets forming in the surrounding material.

Nebula Definition

• A nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen, helium, and other ionized gases.
• Nebulae serve as the birthplaces of stars and planets, with gravitational forces leading to the formation of new celestial bodies.

Proximity to the Sun

• Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, orbiting at an average distance of about 57.9 million kilometers (36 million miles).

Hottest Planet

• Venus holds the title for the hottest planet in the solar system, with surface temperatures reaching up to 465 degrees Celsius (869 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Its dense atmosphere traps heat through a runaway greenhouse effect.

Unique Rotation

• Venus spins slowly on its axis in a retrograde direction, meaning it rotates opposite to most planets in the solar system.
• A day on Venus (one complete rotation) takes about 243 Earth days, longer than its year (approx. 225 Earth days).

Test your knowledge about the formation of our solar system with this quiz on the Solar Nebula Hypothesis. Explore concepts such as nebulae, protoplanetary disks, and the collapse of interstellar gas and dust.