Scientists believe our solar system started as a?

The belief that our solar system began as a large cloud of gas and dust is grounded in the nebular hypothesis, which posits that the solar system formed from a rotating disk of material in space. This cloud, primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, underwent gravitational collapse, leading to the formation of the Sun at the center, while the remaining material clumped together to form the planets, moons, asteroids, and other bodies.

This idea is supported by observations of similar processes occurring in other star-forming regions throughout the universe. The presence of gas and dust is essential as it serves as the building blocks for the formation of celestial bodies. The gradual process of cooling and clumping of this material facilitates the creation of solid bodies that we see today.

In contrast, the other options do not align with current scientific understanding. A black hole represents a gravitational well formed from a massive star's collapse and is not considered a precursor to solar system formation. A meteor of a specific size does not relate to the origin of a solar system, as meteors are typically remnants of larger bodies rather than the initiators of formation. Similarly, a burning star refers to a stage of stellar evolution, but not the initial conditions necessary for the formation of the solar system itself