Question

Studies of exoplanets have shown that stars with more heavy elements (everything on the periodic table above hydrogen and helium) also have more giant planets. How does this observation support or refute the nebular theory?

Answer 1

According to nebular theory the gases and materials in a nebula comes closer on account of gravity and begins to form dense pockets. To conserve angular momentum the material start rotating and most of the material form a ball in center while some material form protoplanetary disk. In this disk planets form and the ball turns to a star. The planets closer to the star have more heavy materials because only those can survive the heat and the planets with light materials turn into Giants.

If a star have more heavy materials then this mean that there will be less small terrestrial planets because the material for formation of these planets will be less. However these stars have more giant planets orbitting around because they are made up of light materials.

Thus this support the nebular theory.