How do gas giants work?

Question

I mean, how do we get a certain quantity of gas matter to become an actual planet? Is there anything inside it? How is, say, Jupiter’s core?

In: Planetary Science

Answer 1

“We” don’t get anything. That gas is the residue of the material left after the sun formed. I’m not sure where the confusion is – gas planets form the same way as rocky ones do – gravity works between any two particles with mass; two atoms of hydrogen or two atoms of iron. Since hydrogen is about 75% of the universe, it makes sense that most things will be made out of it (such as stars and gas giants).