What causes the contraction of an interstellar cloud to become a star?

What causes the contraction of an interstellar cloud to become a star?

As an interstellar cloud contracts, gravitational instabilities cause it to fragment into smaller pieces.

Which process can initiate an interstellar cloud collapse and trigger stellar formation?

In triggered star formation, one of several events might occur to compress a molecular cloud and initiate its gravitational collapse. Molecular clouds may collide with each other, or a nearby supernova explosion can be a trigger, sending shocked matter into the cloud at very high speeds.

What condition is necessary in an interstellar gas cloud for it to begin collapsing?

What condition is necessary in an interstellar gas cloud for it to begin collapsing? The inward pull of gravity must be stronger than the outward push of thermal pressure. The buildup of thermal energy in a collapsing gas cloud leads to thermal pressure that can halt the gravitational collapse.

What factors can complicate the collapse of an interstellar cloud into a star?

Shock waves from supernovae disrupt an interstellar cloud and prevent it from forming stars. longer than our Sun. Higher mass protostars enter the main sequence: faster and at a higher luminosity and temperature.

What theory states that stars are formed when a dense region of molecular cloud collapse?

The star formation theory The star formation theory proposes that stars form due to the collapse of the dense regions of a molecular cloud. As the cloud collapses, the fragments contract to form a stellar core called protostar. Due to strong gravitational force, the protostar contracts and its temperature increases.

What are the factors that affect star formation at present?

In detail, though, the star formation rate depends on many other factors, including the temperature of the gas, turbulent motions, the gravitational potential of the surroundings, magnetic effects, ionizing photons from nearby stars, and more.

Which of the following must be occurring in order for a molecular cloud to collapse and form stars?

Which of the following must be occurring in order for a molecular cloud to collapse and form stars? The buildup of thermal energy in a collapsing gas cloud leads to thermal pressure that can halt the gravitational collapse.

What theory states that stars are formed when A dense region of molecular cloud collapse?

The star formation theory The star formation theory proposes that stars form due to the collapse of the dense regions of a molecular cloud. As the cloud collapses, the fragments contract to form a stellar core called protostar. Due to strong gravitational force, the protostar contracts and its temperature increases.

What are the conditions necessary for interstellar medium to result in A successful star formation?

Star Formation. Stars form inside relatively dense concentrations of interstellar gas and dust known as molecular clouds. These regions are extremely cold (temperature about 10 to 20K, just above absolute zero). At these temperatures, gases become molecular meaning that atoms bind together.

What is the force that keeps a main sequence star from collapsing?

Stars on the main sequence are those that are fusing hydrogen into helium in their cores. The radiation and heat from this reaction keep the force of gravity from collapsing the star during this phase of the star's life.

What is the force that keeps a main sequence star from collapsing on itself quizlet?

The cloud fragments into smaller clouds and forms many stars at one time. What is the force that keeps a main sequence star from collapsing on itself? mass.

What triggers the gravitational collapse of material inside a molecular cloud?

What triggers the gravitational collapse of material inside a molecular cloud? A passing shock wave. What eventually halts the slow contraction of a newly forming star? Nuclear fusion.

What causes a nebula to collapse?

The dust and gases in a nebula are very spread out, but gravity can slowly begin to pull together clumps of dust and gas. As these clumps get bigger and bigger, their gravity gets stronger and stronger. Eventually, the clump of dust and gas gets so big that it collapses from its own gravity.

What processes determine the distribution of physical conditions within star-forming regions?

The key dynamical processes involved in star formation – turbulence, magnetic fields, and self-gravity – are highly nonlinear and multidimensional.

How is star formed?

Star Formation Stars are born within the clouds of dust and scattered throughout most galaxies. A familiar example of such as a dust cloud is the Orion Nebula. Turbulence deep within these clouds gives rise to knots with sufficient mass that the gas and dust can begin to collapse under its own gravitational attraction.

Which of the following is most important in causing a cloud of gas to collapse to form a star and planets?

Which of the following is most important in causing a cloud of gas to collapse to form a star and planets? Gravity pulls all the gas inward.

Why do stars collapse?

If the star is large enough, it can go through a series of less-efficient nuclear reactions to produce internal heat. However, eventually these reactions will no longer generate sufficient heat to support the star agains its own gravity and the star will collapse.

What keeps a main sequence star from collapsing?

Main Sequence Stars Stars are fueled by the nuclear fusion of hydrogen to form helium deep in their interiors. The outflow of energy from the central regions of the star provides the pressure necessary to keep the star from collapsing under its own weight, and the energy by which it shines.

What force causes the contraction of a cloud of interstellar matter to form a star quizlet?

What force causes the contraction of a cloud of interstellar matter to form a star? The gravitational force. You just studied 37 terms!

What may collapse to form a star?

Star Formation Stars are born within the clouds of dust and scattered throughout most galaxies. A familiar example of such as a dust cloud is the Orion Nebula. Turbulence deep within these clouds gives rise to knots with sufficient mass that the gas and dust can begin to collapse under its own gravitational attraction.

What are the factors that affect star formation?

In detail, though, the star formation rate depends on many other factors, including the temperature of the gas, turbulent motions, the gravitational potential of the surroundings, magnetic effects, ionizing photons from nearby stars, and more.

What process drives the formation and development of stars?

Stars form from an accumulation of gas and dust, which collapses due to gravity and starts to form stars. The process of star formation takes around a million years from the time the initial gas cloud starts to collapse until the star is created and shines like the Sun.

What determines the stages a star will go through?

A star's life cycle is determined by its mass. The larger its mass, the shorter its life cycle. A star's mass is determined by the amount of matter that is available in its nebula, the giant cloud of gas and dust from which it was born.

What happens when a cloud of interstellar gas collapses?

Because energy cannot simply disappear, the "lost" gravitational potential energy must be converted into some other form. Some of it is converted into thermal energy, which raises the temperature of the gas cloud. The rest is mostly converted into radiative energy, which is released into space as light.)

What is it called when a star collapses?

A star about five times as massive as the Sun will undergo a much more violent collapse. The outer layers of the star will be ejected into space in a supernova explosion, leaving behind a collapsed star called a neutron star.

What is the major factor predicting the fate of a star?

Key Concepts. The ultimate fate of a star depends on its initial mass. A massive star ends with a violent explosion called a supernova. The matter ejected in a supernova explosion becomes a glowing supernova remnant.

What causes a collapsing cloud fragment to flatten into a disk?

The initial spin of the cloud and the conservation of angular momentum result in the cloud flattening into a rapidly rotating disk. For the disk not to fly apart requires a larger mass to produce sufficiently strong gravity to hold the disk together.

What causes compression of interstellar gas clouds and trigger star formation?

Star formation begins when the denser parts of the cloud core collapse under their own weight/gravity. These cores typically have masses around 104 solar masses in the form of gas and dust. The cores are denser than the outer cloud, so they collapse first.

What makes A gas cloud collapse quizlet?

What makes a cloud start to collapse? The temperature increases as the cloud collapses. Hottest at its center where the young "protosun" is forming. Due to the conservation of angular momentum, the nebular rotates faster and faster as it collapses more and more.

What is a collapsing cloud?

Intergalactic space is filled with clouds of gas (mostly H + He) and dust known as molecular clouds. These clouds are supported against gravitational collapse by their thermal pressure, but if the clouds get too big massive, gravity wins and they can start to collapse.