The exact process of Earth's creation is still a subject of scientific investigation and debate. According to the prevailing scientific theory, known as the nebular hypothesis, Earth formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago from a swirling disk of gas and dust in space called the solar nebula.
The solar nebula was composed mostly of hydrogen and helium, along with trace amounts of heavier elements. It is believed that a nearby supernova explosion or a passing star's gravitational pull caused a disturbance, initiating the collapse of the nebula. This collapse led to the formation of a spinning disk-shaped cloud called the protoplanetary disk.
Within the protoplanetary disk, dust grains started sticking together through a process called accretion, forming larger and larger clumps called planetesimals. These planetesimals eventually collided and merged to form protoplanets, which continued to grow by attracting more material. Over time, one of these protoplanets, which would become Earth, grew large enough and accreted enough material to develop a dense iron-nickel core, a rocky mantle, and a gaseous or vapor atmosphere.
While the Earth was forming, numerous impacts from other protoplanets and celestial objects occurred, including a massive impact between Earth and a Mars-sized protoplanet called Theia. This collision is believed to have thrown off debris that eventually formed the Moon.
The process of Earth's formation took millions of years, involving numerous complex physical and chemical processes. Scientists continue to study and refine our understanding of Earth's beginnings through various lines of evidence, including the study of meteorites, geological formations, computer simulations, and space missions.
how was earth created?
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