How does the material composition influence the earliest star formation history in the universe?
Answer
Lacking CO molecules, primordial clouds were warmer ($> 100 ext{ K}$), requiring gravity to overcome a much larger initial thermal pressure.
The first stars formed from material lacking the efficient cooling agents (CO molecules). This resulted in significantly warmer precursor clouds, meaning gravity faced a greater thermal pressure barrier, consequently leading to the formation of much more massive stars.
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