Did metals on earth, formed on earth? or around our sun? or somewhere else?

Discussion in 'Astronomy, Exobiology, & Cosmology' started by Shadow1, Sep 2, 2010.

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  1. Dinosaur

    Dinosaur Rational Skeptic Valued Senior Member

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    Billy T: It is a bit like human generations.
    I am younger than my niece. Counting my father as one, she is 3rd generation & I am 2nd.

    I still wonder what Sol's stage is. I have never seen any credible source which provided an estimate. I do not think that a 2nd stage star would have the abundance of astronomer metallic elements existing in the solar system.

    As per my previous post, I am guessing stage 4, but think that stage 5 might be as likely as stage 3.
     
    Dinosaur, Sep 8, 2010
    #41

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  3. Fraggle Rocker

    Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    The Wikipedia article on the Sun says that it is currently halfway through its main sequence evolution, so five billion years from now it will enter its red giant phase. Eventually the Earth will be swallowed by tidal forces and cease to exist as a discrete object.

    However, the sun has been becoming steadily warmer over the eons. The article says it's likely that the reason land life has existed on Earth for only one billion years is that before that it was simply too cold. One billion years from now, the surface temperature of the Earth will be higher than the boiling point of water, so all life will become extinct long before the sun's red giant phase.

    That gives us a calendar for developing interstellar travel.

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
    Fraggle Rocker, Sep 10, 2010
    #42

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  5. raptorttail

    raptorttail Registered Member

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    The question is a good example of why most terms need to be defined in science and not 'assumed'.

    As I stated previously, as a geologist I can't write about metals without a definition of what a 'metal' is for the purpose of the study.

    As for a comment that 'every 16-year-old science student knows'....actually they don't all 'know' the same definition.... and hopefully when they are a couple years older in some science 101 course that the prof will drive home from day 1 that all terms must be defined and then subsequent content be governed by those definitions.
     
    raptorttail, Sep 10, 2010
    #43

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