2006-09-30 13:44:55 · 15 answers · asked by teddybear 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Planets first form as a gas or molten liquid. The gravity within the object pulls the liquid or gas into a ball. As in our solar system the sun cooled a little allowing the inner liquid planets to form crust on the outer layers making the hard surfaces like the land we walk on...on earth
2006-09-30 13:51:59 · answer #1 · answered by Tommiecat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We don't know if all planets are round. We only know all the planets in our solar system are defined as round, and the few planets we have found seem to be round, but we can't really see them.
Gravity will make any sufficiently large solid body round over a long enough period of time. A square is a 2-dimensional figure, so I assume you're talking about a sphere and a cube. There is nothing inherently impossible or improbable about having a cubical planet, though not likely a perfect cube, just as no planet in our system is a perfect sphere.
There are possible alternative universes with different rules of gravity, too.
2006-09-30 13:52:34 · answer #2 · answered by thylawyer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gravity, man!
Do you know about King Arthur and the Round Table? Well this is sorta like this is. All the parts of the planet have to be equal. Then gravity can't crumble the thing, but can build it. Square planets are nowhere near equal.
2006-09-30 14:31:34 · answer #3 · answered by Eddy G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The pull of gravity is close to equal around the surface. It would have to have a very strange pattern for a planet to be square and that (as far as we know) does not happen.
2006-09-30 13:46:30 · answer #4 · answered by sparkly_chrimsa 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
one word...gravity.
all objects are attracted to all other objects. The bigger the object the greater the pull. So small objects join together to make larger and larger objects...
The same way as on earth.... If there was a large "mountain" (like an edge of a cube) It would crumble under it's own weight. And therefor become more of a round planet.
I hope that helps.
2006-09-30 13:46:07 · answer #5 · answered by USMCstingray 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
What a mentally fun question you asked!!! It got ME thinking and even tho I don't have a scientific answer, i just want to comment on your question and ask you to think about all the shapes of objects here and on other planets... They are all the same. Shapes and colors don't change a whole lot. Maybe it has something to do with continuity?
2006-09-30 13:55:29 · answer #6 · answered by rennes89 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you travelled in space as fast as the planets do, you'd become super round, too! lol
2006-09-30 13:46:35 · answer #7 · answered by merlin_steele 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ground don't have edges so there is no obstacles except sea, so the world is flat so planet has to be round!
2006-09-30 17:47:46 · answer #8 · answered by Eve W 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because gravity is evenly pulling the planet into the middle. so if it weren't for gravity, then who knows, you might find a square planet. But just so you know, the answer to your wuestion is gravity.
2006-09-30 13:53:39 · answer #9 · answered by hummel kid 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A sphere is the shape that gives the lowest surface area to mass ratio. Suppose you took the mass of the earth and shaped it into a cube, then calculated its surface area, it would be greater than its actual surface area as a sphere.
2006-09-30 13:53:07 · answer #10 · answered by Man_of_Aran 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋