What two elements primarily dominate the fundamental gas content of any nebula?
Answer
Hydrogen and Helium
The fundamental composition of any nebula is overwhelmingly dominated by gas, specifically the two lightest elements in the universe: hydrogen and helium. Hydrogen is often the most massive component present, serving as the essential fuel source required for the subsequent process of stellar birth and fusion reactions within these interstellar clouds. While nebulae also contain complex dust grains composed of silicates and frozen ices, the vast majority of the mass budget in terms of bulk material consists of these two primordial gases.
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