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Chapter 8: Problem 27

Choose the best answer to each of the following. Explain your reasoning with one or more complete sentences. The solar nebula was \(98 \%\) (a) rock and metal. (b) hydrogen compounds. (c) hydrogen and helium.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The correct answer is (c) hydrogen and helium.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the Composition

The solar nebula primarily consisted of gases left over from the formation of the Universe, mainly hydrogen and helium, which are the lightest and most abundant elements.
02

Relating to the Options

The three options presented are: (a) rock and metal; (b) hydrogen compounds; (c) hydrogen and helium. From the prior understanding of the solar nebula, the correct option should be related to these gases.
03

Analyzing Percentage

Given that the solar nebula was overwhelmingly composed of hydrogen and helium, which account for approximately 98% of its mass, we need to identify the corresponding option.
04

Identifying the Correct Answer

Option (c) mentions hydrogen and helium, directly matching the majority composition of the solar nebula. Therefore, option (c) is correct as it aligns with factual astronomical knowledge.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Hydrogen and Helium
Hydrogen and helium are the most abundant elements in the universe. They were the first elements formed after the Big Bang.
They account for most of the observable matter. In the context of the solar nebula, which is the cloud of gas and dust from which our solar system formed, these elements made up about 98% of its mass.
This composition is due to their lightweight and pervasive presence in the early universe.
  • Hydrogen: Being the lightest element, hydrogen is the most abundant, forming stars' primary fuel.
  • Helium: This element is the second most abundant, often a result of nuclear reactions within stars.
Due to these elements' massive abundance, they played a significant role in the development of solar systems. Understanding the dominance of hydrogen and helium helps explain why most of the universe's visible mass is in the form of stars and gas clouds.
Astronomical Knowledge
Astronomical knowledge has greatly expanded our understanding of the universe's composition and formation.
Prior to the 20th century, humans relied on earthbound observations to guess at cosmic phenomena. With technological advances, such as telescopes and space probes, we have since developed a detailed picture of cosmic structures.
  • Telescope advancements: Since Galileo's time, telescopes have revealed far more of the universe, allowing for the identification of many celestial bodies and phenomena beyond Earth's visibility.
  • Space missions: Missions like those by the Hubble Space Telescope have gathered data on distant galaxies and the cosmic microwave background, offering clues about the early universe.
  • Computational modeling: This allows astronomers to simulate cosmic events, leading to better predictions and understanding of complex processes.
These technological and theoretical advancements have helped confirm our theories about the universe, like the Big Bang and the fundamental composition of stars and planets. With every advancement, our astronomical knowledge becomes more comprehensive, integrating new data and refining old theories.
Solar System Formation
The formation of the solar system all started within a swirling cloud of gas and dust termed the solar nebula.
About 4.6 billion years ago, this nebula underwent gravitational collapse, possibly triggered by a nearby supernova explosion. As it contracted, it spun faster and flattened into a disk, with the proto-Sun forming at the center.
Over time, particles within the disk collided and stuck together, forming planetesimals.
  • Planetesimals growth: These small bodies coalesced over millions of years, gradually forming the planets and other solar system bodies.
  • Formation sequence: The inner planets, including Earth, formed closer to the sun where it was hotter, mainly from metal and rock. In contrast, outer planets formed from gases and ices, which were more abundant farther from the heat.
  • Solar winds: Once the Sun ignited nuclear fusion, its solar winds blew away residual gas in the disk, leaving behind planets, moons, and smaller bodies.
Understanding solar system formation helps explain how planetary systems form generally and gives us clues about what other planetary systems might be like. This knowledge sets a foundation for exploring and understanding exoplanets orbiting other stars.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Choose the best answer to each of the following. Explain your reasoning with one or more complete sentences. How many of the planets orbit the Sun in the same direction as Earth does? (a) a few (b) most (c) all

Unanswered Questions. As discussed in this chapter, the nebular theory explains many but not all questions about the origin of our solar system. Choose one important but unanswered question about the origin of our solar system and write two or three paragraphs in which you discuss how we might answer this question in the future. Be as specific as possible, focusing on the type of evidence necessary to answer the question and how the evidence could be gathered. What are the benefits of finding answers to this question?

Briefly describe the process by which terrestrial planets are thought to have formed.

Spitzer Space Telescope. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope operates at the infrared wavelengths especially useful for studies of star and planet formation. Visit the Spitzer website to see what such studies have told us about how planets form. Summarize your findings in a one- to two-page report.

Suppose we found a solar system with the property described. (These are not real discoveries.) In light of what you've learned about the formation of our own solar system, decide whether the discovery should be considered reasonable or surprising. Explain your reasoning. A solar system has six terrestrial planets and four jovian planets. Each of the six terrestrial planets has at least five moons, while the jovian planets have no moons at all.
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