mab Posted September 17, 2004 Share Posted September 17, 2004 Why the planets are round ? Because they are revolving or because they are revolving inside some kind of walls(energy) walls?or because thing move in circular motion when they are inside something else?or some central force? MAB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thales Posted September 17, 2004 Share Posted September 17, 2004 Gravity causes the accumulated matter to form a spherical shape because as the planet forms (from the inside out) matter tries to occupy the lowest gravitational energy state, that of resting on the matter below it. Protrusions away from the spherical surface will 'slip' towards the center and thus matter is distributed evenly along the surface of the sphere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayonara Posted September 17, 2004 Share Posted September 17, 2004 Iirc the matter making up the planets is also trying to assume the lowest gravitational energy state with respect to the sun's gravity well, so they are slightly distorted spheres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YT2095 Posted September 17, 2004 Share Posted September 17, 2004 this can be demonstrated by pouring drops of molten lead from a height into a bucket of cold water, it`ll make little spheres (that`s how the old lead shot was made). or hail stones, or chemical prills. granted this exploits cohesive forces as opposed to gravity, but the principal is similar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john5746 Posted September 17, 2004 Share Posted September 17, 2004 Also, seeing the spilled drinks in space form spherical bubbles are an example. No rotation required. If I understand correctly, a planet forms in a sphere for the same reason we are stuck on this planet. Gravity pulls us towards the center, so when it was a liquid or semi-liquid, all matter was pulled toward the center somewhat evenly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltanova Posted September 17, 2004 Share Posted September 17, 2004 thats realy interesting about the lead shots! another little fact for my library! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MolecularMan14 Posted September 17, 2004 Share Posted September 17, 2004 Gravity would pull the substance together, and continue doing this until the substance was hard as a planet or another, stronger gravity destroys (or at least morphs) the shpere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyboy21 Posted September 17, 2004 Share Posted September 17, 2004 simply, spheres are the simplest 3d shapes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[Tycho?] Posted September 17, 2004 Share Posted September 17, 2004 A sphere has the lowest area for its volume of any 3 dimensional shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halash Posted September 17, 2004 Share Posted September 17, 2004 Gravity causes the accumulated matter to form a spherical shape because as the planet forms (from the inside out) matter tries to occupy the lowest gravitational energy state, that of resting on the matter below it. Protrusions away from the spherical surface will 'slip' towards the center and thus matter is distributed evenly along the surface of the sphere. thas a good way to say it b/c i couldn't explain it... even thought thats technically what i meant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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