Which of the following would most directly favor the core accretion model over the hydrodynamic instability model for the formation of giant planets?
A) an accurate census of the "hot Jupiters"
B) observations of comet-gas giant collisions in our Solar System
C) a detection of a massive, rocky core in the outer part of a very young protoplanetary disk
D) precise calculations of the formation sites of Jupiter and Saturn

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The core accretion model proposes that gas giants form by the gradual accumulation of solid material in the protoplanetary disk, which eventually leads to the formation of a massive rocky core that can attract large amounts of gas from the surrounding disk. If a massive, rocky core is detected in the outer part of a very young protoplanetary disk, it would provide direct evidence for the core accretion model as the dominant mechanism for forming gas giants. The other options do not directly relate to the fundamental differences between the two models.

Which of the Following Would Most Directly Favor the Core