What physical principle dictated the increased spin rate as the solar nebula contracted inward?
Answer
Conservation of angular momentum
As the massive cloud began its inevitable gravitational collapse toward its center of mass, the rate at which it spun increased dramatically. This acceleration is a direct, unavoidable consequence of the physical law known as the conservation of angular momentum. This principle states that for a rotating system where no external torque is applied, the product of the mass, radius, and rotational velocity must remain constant. Since the radius of the shrinking cloud decreased significantly, the rotational velocity necessarily had to increase, analogous to how an ice skater spins faster when they pull their arms inward toward their axis of rotation.
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