Where there more planets being formed?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the likelihood of planets in our solar system staying in orbit due to their initial velocities during the solar system's creation. It is mentioned that most planets would have collided with the sun or escaped due to gravitational interactions, but smaller debris still impacts the sun and other planets. The conversation also raises questions about how planets could gain or lose enough velocity to either fall into the sun or achieve escape velocity.
  • #1
Charles123
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I understand how planetary orbits are described by Kepler`s laws, and how planets in our solar system have the different orbital velocities that they have. But I was wondering that if those planets are just the ones that during the solar system creation, due to their initial velocities were able to stay in orbit, whereas others due to very high or very low initial velocities escaped or collapsed into the sun. Did this happened?
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  • #2
Certainly yes, though most would not have had much time to form before crashing into the sun or escaping. But there is still smaller debris impacting the sun or other planets all the time.
 
  • #3
Russ, is it very likely that many of these bodies actually fell into the Sun or acheived escape velocity? How would they gain/lose that much velocity?
 
  • #4
I've seen models with 50-100 protoplanets being formed during planetary formation. Most of these collided or were torn apart from gravitational interactions with each other. Very few would be destroyed by the sun. Some would definitely escape orbit via gravitational interactions as well.
 
  • #5
Drakkith said:
Russ, is it very likely that many of these bodies actually fell into the Sun or acheived escape velocity? How would they gain/lose that much velocity?
They wouldn't. If they "fall into the sun" they never had enough velocity to orbit the sun. If they escaped they already had enough velocity to excape.
 

FAQ: Where there more planets being formed?

Where do new planets come from?

New planets are formed from the leftover material in a protoplanetary disk surrounding a young star. This material, made up of gas and dust, clumps together and gradually grows into larger objects, eventually forming planets.

How are planets formed?

Planets are formed through a process called accretion, where smaller objects in a protoplanetary disk collide and stick together, eventually forming larger bodies. As these bodies continue to grow, they can also attract and absorb smaller objects, such as asteroids and comets.

Are there other ways for planets to form?

While the most common way for planets to form is through accretion in a protoplanetary disk, there are other potential methods as well. For example, some gas giants may form through gravitational collapse of the gas in a protoplanetary disk, and some planets may even form through collisions between larger bodies.

How common is planet formation?

Based on current observations, it is estimated that there are likely billions of planets in our galaxy alone. However, it is difficult to determine the exact frequency of planet formation as it depends on various factors, such as the presence of a protoplanetary disk and the composition of the materials in the disk.

Are new planets still forming?

Yes, new planets are still being formed in our galaxy and in others. While the majority of planet formation likely occurred in the early stages of a star's life, there are still young stars with protoplanetary disks that are actively forming new planets. Additionally, collisions between larger bodies can also lead to the formation of new planets in older systems.

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