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Asteroids fall towards the early Earth
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Asteroids fall towards the early Earth
Early Earth. Artwork of the Earth about 4000 million years ago surrounded by asteroid-like planetesimal rocks and glowing red gas. The craters on Earths surface show that many planetesimals have struck the thin skin of solid rock that enclosed our planets molten interior. The Earth was formed by a process called accretion in which planetesimals and gas were pulled towards it by gravitational attraction. As the rocks struck the Earth, their gravitational potential energy was converted to heat. Earth cooled down as the accretion process ended, allowing water vapour to condense and form the oceans
Science Photo Library features Science and Medical images including photos and illustrations
Media ID 6341269
© DETLEV VAN RAVENSWAAY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Asteroid Early Formation Planetesimal
EDITORS COMMENTS
This artwork titled "Asteroids fall towards the early Earth" takes us back in time, approximately 4000 million years ago, to witness a crucial phase in our planet's formation. The image showcases the Earth as it was then, surrounded by asteroid-like planetesimal rocks and enveloped in an ethereal glow of red gas. The craters scattered across the Earth's surface bear witness to countless collisions between these planetesimals and our young planet's solid rock crust. These impacts were instrumental in shaping the thin skin that enclosed our molten interior during this period of accretion. Accretion refers to the process through which both gas and solid bodies were drawn towards Earth by gravitational attraction. As these rocky projectiles collided with our nascent world, their immense gravitational potential energy transformed into intense heat. This relentless bombardment played a vital role in cooling down the Earth over time until water vapor finally condensed and formed vast oceans. Through this mesmerizing artwork, we gain insight into how our home evolved from a chaotic environment filled with cosmic debris into a more stable entity capable of nurturing life. It serves as a testament to the remarkable forces at play during those formative years when everything was set into motion for what would eventually become known as Planet Earth.
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