How the planets get their spherical shape

[lalu]

how the planets get in spherical shape if the they are formed by a big explosion ?

 

[chroot]

Spheres of matter are the most stable shapes when pitted against the relentless force of gravity.

- Warren

 

[davenn]

how the planets get in spherical shape if the they are formed by a big explosion ?

and they weren't formed by a big explosion :)

google accretion disk and solar system formation

cheers
Dave

 

[ConnorL0404]

Planets get a spherical shape from gravity. Once a protoplanet (Baby Planet) reaches a certain radius, gravity crushes it into a spherical shape.

 

[O10infinity]

The key concept you're looking for is hydrostatic equilibrium. If a celestial body is massive enough, its gravity will cause it to assume the optimal shape which balances gravity and pressure. This is a spheroid.

 

[SteamKing]

how the planets get in spherical shape if the they are formed by a big explosion ?

What explosion? Most current theories have planets condensing out of stellar nebulas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebular_hypothesis

 

[D English]

If I remember correctly, there was an experiment with particles in the space station (wasn't it salt?) and the particles formed together in a spheroid shape.

It is natural.

 

[ChrisVer]

I thought that planets needed an explosion (shockwave) to be formed out of nebulae... for example an explosion would allow a condensate (not like the boson ones) to be formed -as an origin of initial gravitational attraction- and thus the whole gas around would start "falling" into that and form the planet.
Due to the geometry of a sphere, it's the most favorable (energetically) shape to be formed... of course it's not a perfect sphere (for example the spin makes it more like an oval).