You are describing the solar nebula theory to a friend. You point out that it pr

Question

You are describing the solar nebula theory to a friend. You point out that it provides an explanation for the regular motion in our solar system, the division of the planets into terrestrial and jovian types, and an explanation for the origin and nature of comets and asteroids. Your friend agrees that this is all very nice, but that it seems that the solar nebula theory fails the basic criteria for a scientific theory, to make predictions about the natural world that can be observationally tested. In her opinion, all the solar nebula theory does is explain known facts, albeit in a compelling and economical way. How would you answer your friend and make the case that the solar nebula theory is indeed a scientific theory that has passed many observational tests? Can you think of any predictions that the solar nebula theory has made that were confirmed only within the last decade or so?

Explanation / Answer

The Nebular Hypothesis considered that the planets were formed out of a cloud of material associated with a youthful sun; which was slowly rotating.

Later it is revised and the theory is- The sun was surrounded by solar nebula containing mostly the hydrogen and helium along with what may be termed as dust. The friction and collision of particles led to the formation of a disk shaped cloud and the planets were formed through the process of accretion.

The nebular hypothesis is indeed a scientific theory because-

1) Observations of solar systems itself support the theory. For example all planets orbit the sun in the same direction.

2) Planets have helium and hydrogen gases too.

In recent years; scientists find out that other planets are formed in same process in our galaxy. Since physics is supposed to work same way every where. Therefore our solar system were too formed by these process.

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