How does temperature affect the thermal pressure exerted by interstellar gas?

Hotter gas exerts a greater pressure for the same density.

Thermal pressure arises directly from the internal kinetic energy possessed by the constituent atoms and molecules within the interstellar gas. When gas particles move faster, meaning the temperature is higher, they collide more frequently and with greater force, resulting in a measurable outward push against the relentless inward pull of gravity. Therefore, an increase in temperature directly translates to an increase in thermal pressure, provided the density remains constant. This relationship is fundamental because high thermal pressure acts as a powerful counterforce, capable of keeping a cloud dispersed or causing it to fragment if the thermal energy is too high relative to the gravitational potential, thereby influencing the dynamics of structure emergence.