Planetesimal formation is a critical phase in the early development of planetary systems, where small solid bodies coalesce from dust and gas in a protoplanetary disk. These planetesimals serve as the building blocks for planets, growing through accretion and collisions to form larger planetary bodies.

Planetesimal Formation

Early development of planetary systems

Small solid bodies

Dust and gas

A protoplanetary disk is a rotating circumstellar disk of dense gas and dust surrounding a young newly formed star, where planets, asteroids, and other celestial bodies can form. These disks are crucial for understanding the early stages of planetary system formation and the processes that lead to the diverse architectures of planetary systems observed today.

Protoplanetary Disk

Building blocks for planets

Accretion is the gradual accumulation of particles into a massive object by gravitationally attracting more matter, typically seen in astrophysical contexts like the formation of planets, stars, and galaxies. This process can also occur in finance and geology, where it refers to the growth of assets or land through natural means.

Accretion

Collisions are interactions between two or more bodies where they exert forces on each other for a relatively short time, resulting in a change in their motion. The study of collisions is crucial in understanding momentum and energy transfer, which are foundational principles in physics and engineering applications.

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