Table of Contents
How does the nebula keep pushing gases out?
Gravity pulls gas and dust inward toward the core. Gas pressure increases as atomic collisions and density (atoms/space) increase. 5. The protostar’s gas pressure RESISTS the collapse of the nebula.
What would happen to a nebula if the pressure inside it was greater than the force of gravity?
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 causes a core to develop in the nebula?
Nebulae are made of dust and gases—mostly hydrogen and helium. Eventually, the clump of dust and gas gets so big that it collapses from its own gravity. The collapse causes the material at the center of the cloud to heat up-and this hot core is the beginning of a star.
How are stars formed in a nebula?
Star Forming Nebula Stars are born in clouds of gas and dust. These knots contain sufficient mass that the gas and dust can begin to collapse from gravitational attraction. As it collapses, pressure from gravity causes the material at the center to heat up, creating a protostar.
How long do stars live for?
about 10 billion years
Generally, the more massive the star, the faster it burns up its fuel supply, and the shorter its life. The most massive stars can burn out and explode in a supernova after only a few million years of fusion. A star with a mass like the Sun, on the other hand, can continue fusing hydrogen for about 10 billion years.
At what point is a star born?
At what point is a star born? When the core of a protostar has reached about 10 million K, pressure within is so great that nuclear fusion of hydrogen begins, and a star is born.
What force pulls the matter in a nebula together?
Gravity
Gravity Pulls Matter Together Because these clouds of dust and gas consist of matter, they have mass. Mass, which is a measure of the amount of matter in an object, is affected by the force of gravity. But because the matter in a nebula is so spread out, the attraction between the dust and gas particles is very small.
Why did the nebula spin faster as they shrink or collapse?
As a ball of dust and gas contracts under its own gravity, it begins to shrink and its core begins collapsing faster and faster. This causes the core to heat up and to rotate.
How long does the nebula stage last?
Explanation: For a star the size of the sun, it takes ~10 million years for the nebula to collapse. For bigger stars, it takes a shorter amount of time; as short as 100,000 years. For smaller stars, it can take far more than 10 million years.
Is a nebula a dead star?
Another type of nebula, called a planetary nebula, results from the death of a star. When a star has burned through so much material that it can no longer sustain its own fusion reactions, the star’s gravity causes it to collapse. As the star collapses, its interior heats up.
What happens to the dust and gas in a Nebula?
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 makes a Nebula bigger than a galaxy?
Nebulae are made of dust and gases—mostly hydrogen and helium. 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.
What is a nebula in space?
A nebula is a giant cloud of dust and gas in space. Some nebulae (more than one nebula) come from the gas and dust thrown out by the explosion of a dying star, such as a supernova. Other nebulae are regions where new stars are beginning to form.
What makes up the tiny dots in a Nebula?
Those tiny dots are newly-formed stars! Credit NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Colorado. Nebulae are made of dust and gases—mostly hydrogen and helium. The dust and gases in a nebula are very spread out, but gravity can slowly begin to pull together clumps of dust and gas.