Question

Why do most of the planets orbit the sun fairly on the same plane?

Asked by: Ilay Levie

Answer

The solar system originally formed from a huge cloud of gas and dust. This cloud hung in space with each molecule attracted to every other molecule by gravity. Also the cloud started with some net angular momentum, or spin. That is as the molecules moved about, there were a few more which orbited around the center of the mass of the cloud in one direction than in the opposite direction.

Over time, the gravitational attraction between the particles caused the cloud to condense to a smaller volume. Keep in mind that as the radius of the cloud decreased, the angular momentum didn't decrease, and so the speed of the spin increased. This is the same effect you see when an ice skater starts spinning slowly with arms outstrtched, and then picks up speed the tighter she pulls in her arms.

The cloud continued to spin and contract. However not all parts of the cloud pulled in to the center equally. Those particles around the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation felt centrifugal "force" - actuall just their linear momentum - keeping them from moving towards the center and fighting against gravity. Particles closer to the axis of rotation felt this less, and were pulled in more. Thus the cloud became a disk, just as a blob of pizza dough thrown in the air with a spin flattens out into a pie shape.

The dust particles is areas of slightly higher density within this disk coalesced to form the sun, planets, asteroids, etc. and this is why most of these object are located in the same plane today.

Answered by: Rob Landolfi, None, Science Teacher, Washington, DC

Search

Loading



Sponsors

USC University of Southern California Dornsife College Physics and Astronomy Department McMaster University Physics and Astronomy Department

Science Quote

'To myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.'

Isaac Newton
(1643-1727)

Deal of the Day

Image of Shark Tooth Fossil in Matrix. Click on this image for more info. Shark Tooth Fossil in Matrix
Regular Price: $39.95
Today's Price: $15.00
Superb shark fossil specimen for the science classroom! Buy it now! Deal ends at midnight!

Top Selling

Here are our physics & astronomy bestsellers:
Mini Plasma Ball
Slide Making Kit
Top Secret - Spinning Top
Wood Grain Newtons Cradle
Deluxe 3D Mirascope
Solar Radiometer
Periscope
Solar Science 4M Kit
Ultimate Chemistry Set CHEM C3000
3D Magnetic Field Tube