Final answer:
The term accretion describes the process where particles in the solar nebula stick together to form larger celestial bodies such as asteroids and planets. This is a key part of the theory of solar system formation, involving the gradual build-up of mass from colliding particles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process whereby particles began to stick together in the solar nebula, forming clusters, then larger objects, and eventually asteroids and planets is best described by the scientific term accretion. This process involves the gradual accumulation of mass, as planets form from colliding particles within the solar nebula. The solar system itself formed about 4.5 billion years ago from a rotating cloud of vapor and dust, with this process of accretion playing a crucial role in the formation of the planets from the resulting planetesimals, the building blocks of the planets.
The condensation in the spinning disk of dust and vapor around the nascent Sun led to the formation of these planetesimals. As the solar nebula collapsed under its own gravity, temperatures increased and most of the solid material vaporized, eventually cooling down and allowing solid particles to condense again, aiding in the formation of larger bodies through accretion. This process was governed by the laws of physics, conserving angular momentum as depicted in FIGURE 10.22 from your materials.