What process is defined as the mechanism of building up larger bodies from the fundamental building blocks called planetesimals?
Answer
Accretion
The core physical insight following the creation of planetesimals concerns how these small fragments evolved into much larger bodies. This process is universally termed accretion. It involves the gradual accumulation of matter. Specifically, when two planetesimals collided, the hypothesis required them to merge rather than shatter. This merging, driven by mutual gravitational attraction or simple contact, led to the formation of larger objects. This iterative, stepwise growth—from small solids up through protoplanets—is the defining characteristic of how a planetary system is constructed according to this class of models.
Related Questions
What is the formal name often used for what is commonly called the planetesimal theory?Which two key figures are attributed with the development of the detailed mechanism known as the Chamberlin-Moulton Planetesimal Hypothesis?What critical external event did the Chamberlin-Moulton formulation hypothesize as the catalyst to source the initial material for planet formation?In the Chamberlin-Moulton view, what fundamental force provided the initial impetus for ejecting material from the Sun to form planetary precursors?What process is defined as the mechanism of building up larger bodies from the fundamental building blocks called planetesimals?What characteristic was crucial for collisions between orbiting planetesimals to facilitate growth rather than destruction?Which issue concerning the solar system's distribution of momentum did the Chamberlin-Moulton model successfully address that troubled the classical Nebular Hypothesis?What compositional difference exists between planetesimals forming close to the Sun versus those forming beyond the 'frost line'?In the provided stages of growth, what dominant process characterized Stage 4, involving objects ranging from Moon-sized to Planet-sized?What is the current scientific consensus regarding the source of initial planetesimal material compared to the original Chamberlin-Moulton trigger event?