Where did the Earth come from?
Quick Answer
Astrophysicists believe the Earth and the rest of the solar system is the result of the Big Bang and its explosions of massive stars. The Big Bang and the stellar explosions, called supernovas, blasted untold amounts of material into space. Eventually, the matter cooled down and began to clump together into a hot, spinning cloud that eventually became a solar nebula.
Continue Reading
Full Answer
These events occurred not long after the Big Bang, about 13 billion years ago. About 4.5 to 5 billion years ago, scientists believe that the solar nebula began to spin and contract, most likely due to the influence of another nearby supernova. As it spun, the center of the solar nebula coalesced, ignited and became the sun. Rocky material in the solar nebula began to clump together in a process called runaway accretion. This process created the terrestrial planets that now orbit the sun. One of these planets was the Earth.
At first, the Earth was volcanic and so hot that metals began to melt and sink into what became its core. Layers of other materials surrounded the core and gave rise to the Earth's magnetic field. Eventually, the Earth began to cool, water and primitive life began to appear and oxygen entered the atmosphere.
Learn more about Ancient HistoryRelated Questions
-
Q:
What causes the Earth to rotate?
A: The Earth, like the other planets in the solar system, rotates due to the manner in which it was formed. Earth inherited its rotation from the spinning mov... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What was Ptolemy's theory of the solar system?
A: Ptolemy’s theory of the solar system placed the Earth at the center with each planet on an orbit around it and the stars on a celestial sphere. Ptolemy bel... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
What are four interesting facts about planet Earth?
A: Earth is the only planet in the solar system not named after a Roman or Greek deity. The hottest recorded temperature is 136 degrees Fahrenheit. Scientists... Full Answer >Filed Under: -
Q:
How far is Uranus from Earth?
A: The distance between Earth and Uranus changes constantly, due to the solar system not being entirely concentric. However, the closest Earth and Uranus get ... Full Answer >Filed Under:
You May Also Like
-
Q:
Why doesn't Venus have seasons like Mars and Earth do?
-
Q:
What is the function of a ziggurat?
-
Q:
What was a major impact of the Ancient Greeks and Romans on Western Civilization?
-
Q:
How do tsunamis affect the Earth?
-
Q:
What is the name of the closest galaxy to Earth?
-
Q:
What is it called when the Earth makes a complete orbit around the sun?
