why are the 4 inner planets in the solar system are so much smaller than the 4 outer planets?

Question

Sorry Pluto

In: Physics

Answer 1

The solar wind from the early sun blew all of the lighter elements like hydrogen and helium away from the inner planets, leaving them only rocks to build from. Once you pass Martian orbit, the solar wind had spread out enough to allow planetoids to capture the hydrogen and helium in the solar system accretion disk. Those planetoids eventually became the gas giants that we see.