What instability governs the threshold where gravitational collapse overcomes internal gas pressure to form stars?
Answer
Jeans instability
The transformation of inert gas into a stellar core is driven by gravitational infall, a process dictated by the Jeans instability, which represents the point where self-gravity triumphs over internal gas pressure and turbulence.
Related Questions
What was the approximate elemental composition of the pristine gas clouds forming the universe's first stars?What force was the sole architect responsible for aggregating matter into halos in the early universe?What are the resultant stars called that formed from the collapse of these first, massive, metal-free clouds?What crucial cooling mechanism present in modern stellar nurseries was absent during the universe's infancy?What instability governs the threshold where gravitational collapse overcomes internal gas pressure to form stars?Why did the first generation of stars have to be extremely massive compared to current stars?According to theoretical models, how massive were the Population III stars relative to the Sun?What relationship exists between a star's mass and its lifespan?What was the primary cosmic role of the short-lived Population III stars?In the cosmic timeline, which structure formed first: stars or recognizable galaxies?