Introduction to the formation and evolution of planets

This unit is an introduction to the processes that led to formation of planets in our solar system, and controlled their evolution over the last 4.56 billion years. It starts with aspects of larger scale astronomy to generate a picture of our place in the universe and where planets form within galaxies. Next we focus in on the planets in our solar system, generating an understanding of how they formed in a way that explains their large-scale characteristics. The unit then moves through geologic time from the first few million years of the solar system’s history when planets first formed, through 4.56 billion years of planetary evolution to what we see today. This covers aspects of planetary geology, deep time climate change, and planetary surface geomorphology. In doing so, Earth is compared and contrasted with the other planets. The unit thus provides an understanding of links within the broader discipline of Earth sciences and should be of interest to anyone wanting to learn more about geology, climate science and environmental geography.