What is the typical temperature range found in Giant Molecular Clouds (GMCs) that serve as stellar nurseries?
Answer
Hovering around ten to twenty Kelvin
Giant Molecular Clouds (GMCs) are characterized by their extreme cold, which is a fundamental requirement for allowing gravity to overcome the outward pressure of the gas. The text specifies that these cosmic reservoirs, which are the primary material source for star creation, maintain temperatures hovering around ten to twenty Kelvin. This range is only slightly above absolute zero. This intense cold keeps the gas pressure extremely low, which is necessary to provide gravity a significant advantage, permitting the initial gravitational collapse needed to start the star formation process.
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