.
The origin of our Solar System
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SMALL IDEA
Universe > Earth and the Solar System > The origin of our Solar System
Our solar system originates from a cloud of interstellar gas and dust that either, started collapsing under its own gravity, or collapsed due to some disturbance 4.6 billion years ago. Most of the gas and dust formed the early Sun while some remaining gas/dust kept orbiting around the Sun eventually forming the planets, their moons and all other smaller objects of the solar system. The cloud itself was formed by previous generations of stars that ended their lives and returned part of their matter back into the interstellar medium.
Connection to Big Idea about forces: Our Solar System formed through the collapse of a huge cloud of gas and dust through the force of gravity.
Connection to Big Idea about particles: All the elements (apart from hydrogen and helium) that the solar system is made of, were formed through nuclear fusion in the nucleus of massive stars, which were in our neighborhood and exploded as supernovae. When these stars exploded these ejected elements formed a giant cloud. 4.5 billion years ago the cloud collapsed under its own gravity forming our solar system.
Subjects related: Physics
Age ranges: 12-13, 14-15, 15-16,16-17,17-18
About
PLATON is a two-year European project launched on September 2016. It aspires to provide teachers and school communities with a coherent teachers’ training framework which will update their current teaching practices. More particularly, PLATON aims to offer an open and innovative training framework to teachers of primary and secondary education which will focus on:
- Promoting student-centred teaching approaches;
- Promoting a holistic interdisciplinary approach;
- Support the use of online educational tools;
- Support the meaningful collaboration between teachers of the same school.
GET IN TOUCH
UPCOMING PLATON COURSES
Related projects
LATEST NEWS
Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European (2016-1-PT01-KA201- 022881) 