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Table 1 Abundances of elements and molecules in the solar nebula. The number of atoms are normalized to Si (= 1.00 × 106).

From: Thermal evolution of icy planetesimals in the solar nebula

Element

Number of atoms

Molecule

Number of molecules

Mass of molecules

H

2.79 ’ 1010

H2

1.39 ’ 1010

2.80’ 1010

He

2.72 ’ 109

He

2.72 ’ 109

1.09’ 1010

N

3.13 ’ 107

N2

1.57 ’ 107

4.38 ’ 108

Ne

3.44 ’ 106

Ne

3.44 ’ 106

6.94’ 107

C

1.01 ’ 107

CH2a

6.82 ’ 106

9.55 ’ 107

O

2.38 ’ 107

   

O (gas)

1.98 ’ 107

CO

3.29 ’ 106

9.23 ’ 107

  

H2O

1.65 ’ 107

2.97’ 108

O (rocks)

4.04 ’ 106

   

Mg

1.07 ’ 106

MgO

1.07 ’ 106

4.33 ’ 107

Si

1.00 ’ 106

SiO2

1.00 ’ 106

6.01 ’ 107

Fe

9.00 ’ 105

FeO

9.00’ 105

6.46 ’ 107

Al

8.49 ’ 104

Al2O3

4.25 ’ 104

4.33 ’ 106

  1. a: Carbons are assumed to be in the gas phase for simplicity and no accurate chemical formula of hydrocarbons are needed.