(As the cloud shrinks in size, its gravitational potential energy decreases . Because energy cannot simply disappear, the “lost” gravitational potential energy must be converted into some other form. ... The rest is mostly converted into radiative energy, which is released into space as light.)
Does gravitational potential energy increase or decrease?
If an object falls from one point to another point inside a gravitational field, the force of gravity will do positive work on the object, and the gravitational potential energy will decrease by the same amount .
What happens to the cloud’s gravitational potential energy as it contracts?
When the gas cloud contracts, gravitational potential energy = converted into heat energy . It has more gravitational potential energy when it is spread out than when it shrinks in size.
What happens when gravitational potential energy increases?
Section Summary. Work done against gravity in lifting an object becomes potential energy of the object-Earth system. The change in gravitational potential energy, ΔPE g , is ΔPE g = mgh, with h being the increase in height and g the acceleration due to gravity .
What happens when an interstellar cloud shrinks?
Fig. 10.6 . The collapse of an interstellar cloud of gas and dust (left), compresses the cloud and heats it (right). When the cloud shrinks, gravitational potential energy is converted into heat as the gas particles fall inward and collide with each other .
What shape did the nebula take after collapsing?
This increase in rotation rate represents conservation of angular momentum. The rotation of the cloud may have been imperceptibly slow before its collapse began, but the cloud’s shrinkage makes fast rotation inevitable. FLATTENING: The solar nebula has flattened into a disk .
What is a newborn star called?
Very young stars, also called protostars , form in clouds of gas and dust in space. The first step in the formation of a star is when these dense clouds collapse due to gravity. As the cloud collapses, it begins to spin — forming a flattened disk around the protostar.
Does gravitational potential energy increase with height?
Since the gravitational potential energy of an object is directly proportional to its height above the zero position , a doubling of the height will result in a doubling of the gravitational potential energy. A tripling of the height will result in a tripling of the gravitational potential energy.
What three factors determine gravitational potential energy?
Gravitational Potential Energy is determined by three factors: mass, gravity, and height . All three factors are directly proportional to energy. Mass: The heavier the object is, the _______ gravitational potential energy the object has.
What happens first when a star begins to run out of fuel?
When a main sequence star begins to run out of hydrogen fuel, the star becomes a red giant or a red supergiant . After a low- or medium-mass star has become a red giant, the outer parts grow bigger and drift into space, forming a cloud of gas called a planetary nebula
Why did the nebula spin faster as they shrink or collapse?
As a ball of dust and gas contracts under its own gravity, it begins to shrink and its core begins collapsing faster and faster. This causes the core to heat up and to rotate.
What are the 2 reasons molecular clouds are the perfect place for star formation?
Molecular clouds are favorable locations for star formation for two reasons: low temperature and high density . Their low temperature keeps their pressures about the same as other interstellar clouds
What happens inside a nebula?
Nebulae are made of dust and gases—mostly hydrogen and helium. ... Eventually, the clump of dust and gas gets so big that it collapses from its own gravity . The collapse causes the material at the center of the cloud to heat up-and this hot core is the beginning of a star.
What happens after a nebula?
Over time, the hydrogen gas in the nebula is pulled together by gravity and it begins to spin. As the gas spins faster, it heats up and becomes as a protostar. Eventually the temperature reaches 15,000,000 degrees and nuclear fusion occurs in the cloud’s core.
What happens when a nebula condenses?
Nebular-Condensation theory. ... As a result of the spinning, the nebula flattens out to form a disk , much like a clump of dough which is spun into a pizza. As it continues to flatten and spin, the nebula becomes denser and hotter, particularly in the center. The dense, hot center eventually forms into a star, the Sun.
