What term describes the state achieved when a nascent star's energy output from fusion balances the force of gravity?
Answer
Hydrostatic equilibrium
Hydrostatic equilibrium is the defining condition when a celestial body officially transitions from a collapsing protostar into a true star. This state is achieved when the immense outward pressure generated by sustained nuclear fusion in the core—specifically the conversion of hydrogen to helium, which requires temperatures near 10 million Kelvin—perfectly balances the crushing inward force exerted by the object's own massive gravity. Until this balance is struck, the object continues to contract or expand based on which force currently dominates.
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