How did the Earth form?

The Earth formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago through a process called accretion. In the early stages of the Solar System's formation, a giant molecular cloud collapsed under its own gravity, forming a spinning disk of gas and dust. Within this disk, gravity caused particles to collide and stick together, gradually forming larger objects known as planetesimals. These planetesimals continued to collide and merge, ultimately creating the Earth. As the planet grew, it accumulated more and more matter, including gases that formed an atmosphere. Intense heat from the collisions and radioactive decay led to the differentiation of the Earth into layers, with a dense metallic core, a viscous mantle, and a solid crust. The process of Earth's formation was a complex and gradual one that took millions of years to complete.

This mind map was published on 9 October 2023 and has been viewed 133 times.