What percentage of gas in molecular clouds comprises elements heavier than helium?
Answer
1%
Molecular clouds, which serve as the nurseries for star birth, are composed primarily of light elements. The composition detailed shows that approximately 75% of the material is hydrogen and 24% is helium. The remaining component, which includes all heavier elements that astronomers refer to as 'metals' in this context, constitutes only about 1% of the total mass of the cloud. This small percentage of heavier elements is crucial for later planetary formation but is a minor constituent during the initial gravitational collapse phase.
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