What energy source drives the initial heating of the collapsing mass forming a protostar?
Answer
Gravitational potential energy transforming into kinetic energy and heat
The formation of a protostar begins when a dense region in a molecular cloud starts to contract under its own gravity. As this massive aggregation of gas and particles pulls inward, the energy stored in their widely separated positions, known as gravitational potential energy, is converted into kinetic energy. This kinetic energy manifests immediately as thermal energy, causing the core temperature to rise relentlessly. This process is essential because it dictates the initial warmth the core possesses, setting the stage for the much more powerful nuclear reactions to follow, although the protostar itself does not yet generate significant light through fusion.
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