What eventually halts the gravitational collapse of an interstellar gas?
The buildup of thermal energy in a collapsing gas cloud leads to thermal pressure that can halt the gravitational collapse.
What could trigger the collapse of an interstellar cloud to form protostars?
Summary: Stars form in cold, dense regions of space called molecular clouds. When the force of gravity pulling in on the cloud is greater than the strength of internal pressure pushing out, the cloud collapses into a protostar.
What event can lead to the gravitational collapse of an interstellar cloud?
Interstellar Cloud: dense, dark, cold dust cloud that is extremely massive. Star formation is triggered when come external event squeezes a cloud beyond the point where pressure can resist gravity's inward pull.
What two things can interfere with gravitational collapse?
Star formation happens when part of a dust cloud begins to contract under its own gravitational force; as it collapses, the center becomes hotter and hotter until nuclear fusion begins in the core. Rotation can also interfere with gravitational collapse, as can magnetism.
What causes gravitational collapse?
Gravitational collapse is the contraction of an astronomical object due to the influence of its own gravity, which tends to draw matter inward toward the centre of gravity. Gravitational collapse is a fundamental mechanism for structure formation in the universe.
How was gravitational collapse formed?
This event marks the end of a massive star that has exhausted all its fuel for nuclear fusion. The core, consisting of iron – the final product of the stellar fusion processes -, is collapsing under its own gravity as there is no pressure from nuclear fusion stabilizing the star.
Which trigger could start the gravitational contraction of A molecular cloud?
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.
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.
What is gravitational collapse quizlet?
gravitational collapse. ductile spreading at depth and normal faulting and subsidence in the upper brittle portion of the crust. mountains collapse under own weight.
What causes gravitational collapse Stage 2?
In summary, gravitational collapse provides the initial energy to heat a star. As it uses up this energy source, it begins to tap into fusion. Ultimately it reaches an equilibrium where the energy produced by fusion is balanced by the energy radiated into space.
What is gravity collapse?
Definition of gravitational collapse : the tendency of matter to move toward a common center of gravity (as in the formation of galaxies) especially : the rapid collapse of a star at the end of its life cycle.
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 happens when an interstellar cloud fragment shrinks?
What happens when an interstellar cloud fragment shrinks? It first becomes opaque; Density rises; Temperature rises; Pressure rises.
Which trigger could start the gravitational contraction of a molecular cloud?
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 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 the early stage in the formation of star resulting from gravitational collapse of gases?
Stars begin to form from clouds of gas in space. The cold temperatures and high densities (compared to elsewhere in space, but would be considered a vacuum on Earth) of these clouds allow gravity to overcome thermal pressure and start the gravitational collapse that will form a star.
What force keeps gravity from collapsing a neutron star?
The strong nuclear force is responsible for the push and pull between protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus, which keeps an atom from collapsing in on itself.
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.
What is meant by gravitational collapse?
Definition of gravitational collapse : the tendency of matter to move toward a common center of gravity (as in the formation of galaxies) especially : the rapid collapse of a star at the end of its life cycle.
What keeps white dwarfs and neutron stars from collapsing?
As the star contracts, all the lowest electron energy levels are filled and the electrons are forced into higher and higher energy levels, filling the lowest unoccupied energy levels. This creates an effective pressure which prevents further gravitational collapse.
What force supports a white dwarf from collapsing?
Electron degeneracy pressure White dwarfs Electron degeneracy pressure will halt the gravitational collapse of a star if its mass is below the Chandrasekhar limit (1.44 solar masses). This is the pressure that prevents a white dwarf star from collapsing.
What keeps a white dwarf from collapsing due to gravity?
In particular, electron degeneracy pressure is what supports white dwarfs against gravitational collapse, and the Chandrasekhar limit (the maximum mass a white dwarf can attain) arises naturally due to the physics of electron degeneracy.
What balances the gravitational collapse of a white dwarf?
At this point the star's carbon/oxygen core collapses into a white dwarf. In this case further gravitational collapse is held in balance by electron degeneracy pressure.
What keeps a white dwarf gravity from continuing to collapse the star’s core?
Degeneracy pressure keeps a white dwarf from collapsing under its own gravity. The maximum mass that a white dwarf can support against collapse is 1.4 solar masses due to the Chandrasekhar limit.
What holds a neutron star up against collapse by gravity?
Neutron stars are partially supported against further collapse by neutron degeneracy pressure, a phenomenon described by the Pauli exclusion principle, just as white dwarfs are supported against collapse by electron degeneracy pressure.
What keeps a neutron star from collapsing?
The strong nuclear force is responsible for the push and pull between protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus, which keeps an atom from collapsing in on itself.
What causes a neutron star to collapse?
If the remnant star has a mass exceeding the Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff limit of around 2 solar masses, the combination of degeneracy pressure and nuclear forces is insufficient to support the neutron star and it continues collapsing to form a black hole.
What prevents gravitational collapse?
Star formation Mathematically this is expressed using the virial theorem, which states that, to maintain equilibrium, the gravitational potential energy must equal twice the internal thermal energy.
What keeps a neutron star from collapsing under its own gravity quizlet?
What prevents a neutron star from collapsing and becoming a black hole? Gravity in the neutron star is balanced by an outward force due to neutron degeneracy. about 3 solar masses. no light can escape from it due to its powerful gravitational field.
What keeps a neutron star from collapsing under its own gravity?
It's the internal pressure inside each proton and neutron, arising from the strong force, that holds up neutron stars when white dwarfs have long given out.