NAME: __________________________________________ DATE:____________________

SECTION:_______________________________

ASSIGN NO.1

1.) Make a research about Solar System.

The Solar System is the gravitationally bound system comprising the Sun and the objects that orbit it,
either directly or indirectly. Of the objects that orbit the Sun directly, the largest eight are the planets, with
the remainder being smaller objects, such as dwarf planets and small Solar System bodies. Of the objects
that orbit the Sun indirectly, the moons, two are larger than the smallest planet, Mercury.

The Solar System formed 4.6 billion years ago from the gravitational collapse of a giant interstellar
molecular cloud. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun, with the majority of the remaining
mass contained in Jupiter. The four smaller inner planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, are terrestrial
planets, being primarily composed of rock and metal. The four outer planets are giant planets, being
substantially more massive than the terrestrials. The two largest, Jupiter and Saturn, are gas giants, being
composed mainly of hydrogen and helium; the two outermost planets, Uranus and Neptune, are ice giants,
being composed mostly of substances with relatively high melting points compared with hydrogen and
helium, called volatiles, such as water, ammonia and methane. All eight planets have almost circular
orbits that lie within a nearly flat disc called the ecliptic.

SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_System

2.) Write the estimated year when the Solar System made.

 ANSWER: The age of the solar system, derived from the study of meteorites (thought to
be the oldest accessible material around) is near 5 billion years; that of the Earth is taken
as 4.6 billion years. The oldest rocks on Earth are dated as 3.8 billion years.

Source: Age and Origin of the Solar System earthguide.ucsd.edu/virtualmuseum/ita/05_3.shtml

3.) Differentiate the Nebular theory, Protoplanet theory and Encounter Theory.

Encounter Hypothesis:

One of the earliest theories for the formation of the planets was called the encounter hypothesis. In this
scenario, a rogue star passes close to the Sun about 5 billion years ago. Material, in the form of hot gas, is
tidally stripped from the Sun and the rogue star. This material fragments into smaller lumps which form
the planets. This hypothesis has the advantage of explaining why the planets all revolve in the same
direction (from the encounter geometry) and also provides an explanation for why the inner worlds are
denser than the outer worlds.

However, there are two major problems for a theory of this type. One is that hot gas expands, not
contracts. So lumps of hot gas would not form planets. The second is that encounters between stars are
extremely rare, so rare as to be improbable in the lifetime of the Universe (15 billion years).
Nebular Hypothesis:

A second theory is called the nebular hypothesis. In this theory, the whole Solar System starts as a large
cloud of gas that contracts under self-gravity. Conservation of angular momentum requires that a rotating
disk form with a large concentration at the center (the proto-Sun). Within the disk, planets form.

While this theory incorporates more basic physics, there are several unsolved problems. For example, a
majority of the angular momentum in the Solar System is held by the outer planets. For comparison, 99%
of the Solar System's mass is in the Sun, but 99% of its angular momentum is in the planets. Another flaw
is the mechanism from which the disk turns into individual planets.

Protoplanet Hypothesis:

The current working model for the formation of the Solar System is called the protoplanet hypothesis. It
incorporates many of the components of the nebular hypothesis, but adds some new aspects from modern
knowledge of fluids and states of matter.
Meanwhile in the inner Solar System:

Note that as the planet's began to form they grew in mass by accreting planetesimals. Since force of
gravity is proportional to mass, the largest planetesimals are accreted first. The early proto-planets are
able to sweep the early Solar System clean of large bodies.

Notice also that the lighter compounds are vaporized in the inner Solar System. So where did all the
outgassing material come from? The answer is comets that fall from the outer Solar System after the
planets form.
Meanwhile in the outer Solar System:

The Jovian worlds, having an early edge on gathering mass in the colder outer solar disk, were the most
efficient at capturing planetesimals, which only served to increase their already large masses. As the
planetesimals shrink in average size, collisions with proto-planets lead to fragmentation. So quickly the
Solar System divided into large proto-planets and smaller and smaller planetesimals which eventually
became the numerous meteors we see today.

Any leftover large bodies were captured as moons or ejected by gravity assist into the Oort cloud. The
start of thermonuclear fusion in the Sun's core created enough luminosity so that the remaining hydrogen
and helium gas in the solar disk was removed by radiation pressure.

The only remaining problem is the distribution of angular momentum. The current explanation for the
fact that most of the angular momentum is in the outer planets is that, by some mechanism, the Sun has
lost angular momentum. The mechanism of choice is magnetic braking.
The early Sun had a much heavier flow of solar winds particles. Many of the particles in the solar wind
are charged, and are effected by the laws of motion as well as electromagnetic forces. As the solar wind
leaves the solar surface, they are ``dragged'' by the magnetic field, which in turn slows down the Sun's
rotation.

SOURCE: http://www.astro.rug.nl/~etolstoy/ACTUEELONDERZOEK/JAAR2000/typical/models.html