How Did Planets Enter Their Orbits?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the mechanisms by which newly formed planets enter their orbits following the big bang and the subsequent formation of stars and planetary systems. It touches on concepts related to planetary formation and the dynamics of protoplanetary disks.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant speculates on the role of different planetary masses in determining their orbital locations relative to the sun and other planets.
  • Another participant describes the process of planet formation through the coalescence of dust and gas into spinning disks, which shrink under gravity, leading to the formation of a star and surrounding planets.
  • A third participant succinctly states that gravity is the fundamental force at play in this process and suggests further research on related topics such as the nebular hypothesis and protoplanetary disks.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants present differing levels of detail and focus on various aspects of planetary formation, but there is no explicit consensus on the specifics of how planets enter their orbits.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not resolve the complexities of the mechanisms involved in planetary formation and orbital dynamics, and it relies on assumptions about the initial conditions following the big bang.

ajassat
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This is something I thought about while drifting off to bed last night.

Immediately after the period between the big bang and the formation of planets, how did these newly created planets enter their respective orbits.

I'm assuming the planets had different masses and that this was a major factor in deciding the location of the orbit in relation to the sun and other planets

Can somebody shed more light on this?
 
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No. The dust and gas that settled out of the BB coalesced into spinning, contracting disks. These disks shrank under gravity, causing their rotation to speed up. Eventually the centre formed a star with a disk. The disk started clumping and these clumps became planets. The planets swept up the remaining dust and gas until there was just a star and a bunch of planets in various orbits.
 
Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.
 

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