What spinning structure encircles a protostar, acting as a mass reservoir?
Answer
Protoplanetary disk
As the initial molecular core collapses under gravity, the entire system conserves its original rotational motion. Because of this rotation, not all infalling material falls directly onto the central condensing mass, which is now a protostar. Instead, the angular momentum forces the surrounding gas and dust to flatten into a rotating structure that orbits the protostar. This flattened structure is known as a protoplanetary disk, sometimes called an accretion disk. This disk acts as the crucial reservoir, supplying the protostar with material that spirals inward over time, allowing the growing star to slowly accrete mass.
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