What eventually halts the gravitational collapse of an interstellar gas cloud that forms an object that is massive enough to become a star?
A)the central object becoming hot enough to sustain nuclear fusion in its core
B)nothing; all collapsing gas clouds become black holes
C)a critical fraction of the gas has been driven further into space
D)the crowding of electrons in the core

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The gravitational collapse of an interstellar gas cloud is halted when the central object becomes hot enough to sustain nuclear fusion in its core. The fusion of hydrogen into helium releases an enormous amount of energy, which counteracts the gravitational force pulling the gas cloud together. This stable state is what defines a star.

What Eventually Halts the Gravitational Collapse of an Interstellar Gas