What gases primarily constitute a diffuse nebula prior to stellar birth?
Answer
Hydrogen and helium
A nebula, which serves as the stellar nursery, is defined as a colossal, diffuse cloud composed predominantly of light elements. Specifically, the primary components are hydrogen and helium gas. These light gases are mixed with trace amounts of heavier elements and dust that were previously forged in the lives and deaths of earlier stellar generations. This specific chemical makeup is fundamental to the subsequent nuclear fusion processes that power mature stars.
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