What is the engine driving density upward as a region within a nebula begins to contract?

A feedback loop where the region pulls in more surrounding material, increasing its mass, which strengthens its gravitational pull, drawing in matter even faster

The acceleration of density during the initial collapse phase is governed by a powerful self-reinforcing mechanism known as a feedback loop. As gravity successfully initiates contraction in a denser region, that region gathers more ambient gas and dust. This accumulation directly increases the total mass localized there. According to the laws of gravity, increased mass results in a stronger gravitational field emanating from that core. This stronger field, in turn, accelerates the rate at which it draws in adjacent matter, creating a cycle where collapse intensifies exponentially until other forces intervene or the protostar stage is reached.