The nebular hypothesis of the formation of the solar system assumes that the material that became the solar system began as a large spherical cloud of gas and dust,rotating slowly.As the solar system formed,most of this material was transformed into a compact,flattened disk,rotating more rapidly.What is the explanation for this change in shape and rate of rotation?
A) conservation of angular momentum
B) the influence of nearby stars
C) differentiation of materials easily vaporized and not easily vaporized
D) alignment with the plane of the Milky Way Galaxy

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The change in shape and rate of rotation of the cloud of gas and dust can be explained by the conservation of angular momentum. As the cloud collapsed due to gravitational forces, it began to spin faster to conserve its angular momentum. Conservation of angular momentum also causes the cloud to flatten into a disk shape, with the majority of the mass concentrated in the center.

The Nebular Hypothesis of the Formation of the Solar System