planetesimal hypothesis
- noun
- /ˌplænɪˈtɛsɪməl haɪˈpɒθɪsɪs/
- Specialized
:
hipótesis de planetesimales
- The planetesimal hypothesis suggests that planets grew by accumulating smaller celestial bodies through gravitational attraction.
Examples
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Many astronomers in the early 20th century supported the planetesimal hypothesis to explain the origin of the solar system.
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Recent research has cast doubt on some aspects of the planetesimal hypothesis but it remains influential in planetary science.
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The planetesimal hypothesis explains the formation of planets.
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Many scientists support the planetesimal hypothesis today.
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Many astronomers in the early 20th century supported the planetesimal hypothesis to explain the origin of the solar system.
-
Recent research has cast doubt on some aspects of the planetesimal hypothesis but it remains influential in planetary science.
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The planetesimal hypothesis suggests that planets grew by accumulating smaller celestial bodies through gravitational attraction.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is directly compositional: a 'planetesimal hypothesis' is simply a hypothesis concerning planetesimals, so a learner who knows 'planetesimal' (small bodies that form planets) and 'hypothesis' (an explanation) can derive the meaning. The noun+noun pattern 'X hypothesis' is a regular, cross-linguistically common construction, making the expression immediately interpretable.
Etymology
The planetesimal hypothesis comes from the image of many small rocks, called planetesimals, slowly pulled together by gravity until they become 'planets'. So it means the idea that planets formed when tiny bodies joined together.
