The inner planets- Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars- were formed by
a. Supernovas
b. repeated collisions of asteroid sized debris (My Answer) ******
c. masses of cold hydrogen and helium
d. collisions of large galaxies
The answer is B. you're correct
I say A
To determine the correct answer to this question, we need to analyze the formation processes of the inner planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
a. Supernovas: Supernovas occur when massive stars explode at the end of their lifecycle. While these explosions contribute to the formation of certain elements necessary for planet formation, they do not directly form planets. Therefore, it is unlikely that the inner planets were formed by supernovas.
b. Repeated collisions of asteroid-sized debris: According to the most widely accepted theory of planet formation, known as the Nebular Hypothesis, the inner planets formed from a disk of gas and dust surrounding the young Sun. Within this disk, small bodies, ranging from dust particles to asteroid-sized objects, collided and merged over millions of years, forming larger bodies called planetesimals. Through further accretion and gravitational attraction, these planetesimals eventually formed the inner planets. Thus, the repeated collisions of asteroid-sized debris is the correct answer in this case.
c. Masses of cold hydrogen and helium: Cold hydrogen and helium are the primary elements that make up the universe, but they are not directly involved in planet formation. While these elements do exist in the inner planets, they are in much smaller amounts compared to rocky materials.
d. Collisions of large galaxies: Large galaxies contain billions of stars. However, the inner planets of our solar system are not a result of galaxy collisions because these events typically involve interactions on an intergalactic scale, which would not directly affect the formation of our planetary system.
In summary, the correct answer is b. The inner planets – Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars – were formed by repeated collisions of asteroid-sized debris within a disk of gas and dust around the young Sun, as described by the Nebular Hypothesis.
C
C
B