What is the primary mass component of interstellar clouds?

Answer

Gas, predominantly elemental hydrogen and helium

Interstellar clouds, which constitute the interstellar medium, have a chemical composition heavily skewed towards the simplest elements. Approximately 99% of their total mass consists of gas, which is overwhelmingly composed of elemental hydrogen and helium. The remaining 1% consists of solid particulate matter known as cosmic dust. This dust, while small in mass percentage, is critical as it contains heavier elements forged in earlier stellar lives, such as silicates and traces of water ice. The dominance of hydrogen and helium reflects the composition remaining after the universe's initial formation stages, serving as the feedstock for new stars.

What is the primary mass component of interstellar clouds?

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