What major distribution puzzle challenged early nebular models regarding the Sun and planets?
Answer
The planets possess the vast majority of the angular momentum.
A significant conceptual hurdle for early versions of the nebular model involved the distribution of rotational energy. While the Sun concentrated about 99.8% of the total mass of the solar system at its center, the planets—particularly the large outer ones—held the overwhelming majority of the system's total angular momentum. Early models based purely on centrifugal force shedding material struggled to account for this massive transfer of rotational energy outward. Later refinements, incorporating elements like magnetic fields and viscous interactions within the disk, were required to explain how this momentum was efficiently transferred to the orbiting planets.
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