Why does the condensation sequence result in different compositions for planets at varying distances from the Sun?
Answer
Temperature gradients determined which materials could solidify at specific distances
The solar nebula possessed a significant temperature gradient, with the highest temperatures located near the center and much colder temperatures in the outer regions. Different chemical substances have distinct melting and condensation points. Near the center, only materials with high melting points, such as metals, iron, and silicates, could remain solid. In the moderate zones, other minerals could condense, and in the frigid outer reaches, volatile compounds like water, methane, and ammonia froze into ices. This temperature-dependent freezing allowed for the formation of rocky, metallic inner planets and gas-rich, icy outer planets.
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