nebular hypothesis
Definition
Noun: 1. A cosmological theory: The nebular hypothesis is the theory that the solar system formed from the gravitational collapse of a giant, rotating cloud of interstellar gas and dust (a nebula).
Usage
The term is used primarily in scientific and academic contexts, specifically in the fields of astronomy, cosmology, and planetary science, to describe the leading theoretical model for the formation of star systems.
Examples
- The nebular hypothesis, first proposed in the 18th century, provides a framework for understanding how planets coalesce from a protoplanetary disk.
- Modern observations of young stellar objects strongly support the nebular hypothesis.
- According to the nebular hypothesis, the Sun and planets originated from the same primordial material.
Advanced Usage
- Modification with adjectives: The theory is often discussed with qualifiers that denote its development or specific version.
- The modern nebular hypothesis incorporates details about angular momentum distribution.
- Kant's original nebular hypothesis was later refined by Laplace.
Variants and Related Words
- Nebular theory: Often used synonymously with "nebular hypothesis."
- Protoplanetary disk: The rotating disk of dense gas and dust surrounding a young star, a key component in the nebular hypothesis.
- Solar nebula: The specific cloud of gas and dust from which our solar system is theorized to have formed.
Synonyms
- Nebular theory
- Condensation theory (in a similar, though not always identical, context)
Related Phrases
- Formation of the solar system: This is the primary phenomenon the nebular hypothesis seeks to explain.
- Planetesimal accretion: The process within the nebular hypothesis where small solid bodies collide and stick together to form planets.
Noun
-
(cosmology) the theory that the solar system evolved from a hot gaseous nebula
