Chemical composition of solar system

In summary, there is a lot of information out there on stellar formation, but it is still not fully understood. A book that would be a good starting point is "The Formation and Evolution of Stars" by Michael S. Hart.
  • #1
S.Vasojevic
173
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If our solar system originated from the same dust / gas cloud, why do we see such differences in abundance of elements from one body to another. I can come up with two possible answers:

1. Rotation of cloud centrifuged heavier elements towards edge (Almost certainly not true, because it would need to overcome gravity, and composition of solar system bodies does not follow that pattern)

2. At some point in solar system formation original dust cloud, which presumably consisted of mainly light elements, interacted with another material, probably much smaller in quantity, and different in origin.

I am only guessing, so any help on this is welcome.
 
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  • #2
Why guess when you can easily find the answers on the 'net?

Google (or pick your favorite search engine) the following terms:
planet formation
frost line planet formation
planet migration
 
  • #3
Also:

Solar wind
terrestrial planets versus jovian planets
rocky planets versus gaesous planets
 
  • #4
Yes, that's nice, but if you start to google things, you get bunch of information, not necessary consistent with each other, although they are all from trustworthy sources.
One of them being that Earth's and Mars's composition is different, especially Fe/Si ratio, and that C1 model does not hold on Mars. Other thing is water splashing formed Earth from outer solar system. I see that I oversimplified things, but it seems that this issue is far from resolved.
 
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  • #5
What is the mechanism that made young Sun eject heavy elements?
 
  • #6
S.Vasojevic said:
What is the mechanism that made young Sun eject heavy elements?

It didn't. The heavy metals were in the protostellar dust cloud when the sun formed. They were formed during the nova deaths of older stars.
 
  • #7
No, not asking when they were synthesized. Some article I stumbled upon, claims that young Sun ejected what was already in there of heavier elements, not describing mechanism, but I can't see how.
So what would be a book to read on stellar formation?
 

1. What elements make up the majority of the solar system?

The majority of the solar system is composed of hydrogen and helium, which make up over 98% of the total mass.

2. What other elements can be found in the solar system?

Other elements in the solar system include oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and iron. These elements make up the remaining 2% of the total mass.

3. How do scientists determine the chemical composition of the solar system?

Scientists use spectroscopy to analyze the light emitted by the sun and other celestial bodies. This allows them to identify the elements present and their relative abundances.

4. Are there any differences in the chemical composition of different planets in the solar system?

Yes, each planet in the solar system has a unique chemical composition. For example, the gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn have a high concentration of hydrogen and helium, while rocky planets like Earth and Mars have a higher proportion of heavier elements like oxygen and iron.

5. How does the chemical composition of the solar system compare to other star systems?

The chemical composition of the solar system is similar to other star systems in our galaxy, the Milky Way. However, it may differ in other galaxies as the composition can vary depending on factors such as the age and formation of the star system.

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