The Earth formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago through a process called accretion. It started with the gravitational collapse of a giant cloud of gas and dust called the solar nebula. As the cloud collapsed, it began to spin and flatten into a rotating disk. The central region, known as the protosun, eventually formed at the center, while the surrounding material in the disk underwent further gravitational attraction and began to clump together, forming planetesimals. Over time, these planetesimals collided and merged, gradually growing into larger bodies called protoplanets. The protoplanet that would become Earth continued to accumulate material until it reached its current size and composition. Intense heat and collisions caused differentiation, with heavier elements sinking to the core and lighter elements forming the mantle and crust. The process continued with volcanic activity, the formation of oceans, and the development of an atmosphere, shaping the Earth as we know it today.
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The Earth formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago through a process called accretion. It started with the gravitational collapse of a giant cloud of gas and dust called the solar nebula. As the cloud collapsed, it began to spin and flatten into a rotating disk. The central region, known as the protosun, eventually formed at the center, while the surrounding material in the disk underwent further gravitational attraction and began to clump together, forming planetesimals. Over time, these planetesimals collided and merged, gradually growing into larger bodies called protoplanets. The protoplanet that would become Earth continued to accumulate material until it reached its current size and composition. Intense heat and collisions caused differentiation, with heavier elements sinking to the core and lighter elements forming the mantle and crust. The process continued with volcanic activity, the formation of oceans, and the development of an atmosphere, shaping the Earth as we know it today.