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

Gravity pulls matter together out of the planetary disk. The heavier matter falls towards the center, creating a core. The lighter gases make up the outer layers. Not much more to it than that.

We don’t know for sure what Jupiter’s core is made of, but it is surmised that it is made of heavy metals and/or molten rock.