What small, rounded grains found in stony meteorites provide evidence of the first stages of planetary accretion?

Answer

Chondrules

Stony meteorites are the most common group, making up about 94% of all recovered falls, and they are mainly composed of silicate minerals, closely resembling terrestrial rocks. Within many stony meteorites reside small, spherical grains known as chondrules. These structures are considered highly significant because they represent condensed droplets of material that existed in the solar nebula during the very earliest moments of solar system development. Their study allows scientists to observe physical evidence dating back to the initial stages of planetary accretion, illustrating how microscopic dust and gas began clumping together to form larger bodies before planets fully materialized. Meteorites lacking these features are specifically classified as achondrites.

What small, rounded grains found in stony meteorites provide evidence of the first stages of planetary accretion?

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