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The rotation rate increases and results in a disk of material around a protostar.

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Q: What happens to the rotation of a molecular cloud as it collapses to form a star?
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Why does a molecular cloud flatten out as it collapses?

This flattening is a natural consequence of collisions between particles in a spinning cloud. A cloud may start with any size or shape, and different clumps of gas within the cloud may be moving in random directions at random speeds. When the cloud collapses, these different clumps collide and merge, resulting in a flattened rotating disk. Comments: Importantly, the cloud will be spinning slightly, because of random motion effects. As it collapses it will spin faster (conservation of angular momentum). You can then explain what happens it in terms of the "centrifugal effect". This effect is smallest near the axis of rotation of the cloud. So that the cloud will naturally flatten out. A more technical explanation uses the "law of conservation of angular momentum". This shows again the natural tendency to form a disk from a spinning cloud.


What happens to a nimbostratus cloud?

what happens to a nimbostratus cloud


What is the Scale for universe molecular cloud galaxy star planet asteroid and atom biggest to smallest?

universe, molecular cloud, galaxy, star, planet, asteroid,atom


What is the birthplace of stars called?

Molecular cloud or Stellar Nursery .


Why does a planet travel in an orbit around the sun?

A solar system forms out of a large cloud of dust; as the cloud starts to rotate as it collapses in on itself, it tends to spin into a disc shape. The center starts coalescing and getting dense enough to turn into a star, and clumps all along the disc coalesce into planets. The reason why the cloud collapses in on itself, rotates, creates clumps that turn into the star and planets is all because of GRAVITY.

Related questions

As a rotating cloud collapses its rate of rotation?

The law of conversation of angular momentum.


Why does a molecular cloud flatten out as it collapses?

This flattening is a natural consequence of collisions between particles in a spinning cloud. A cloud may start with any size or shape, and different clumps of gas within the cloud may be moving in random directions at random speeds. When the cloud collapses, these different clumps collide and merge, resulting in a flattened rotating disk. Comments: Importantly, the cloud will be spinning slightly, because of random motion effects. As it collapses it will spin faster (conservation of angular momentum). You can then explain what happens it in terms of the "centrifugal effect". This effect is smallest near the axis of rotation of the cloud. So that the cloud will naturally flatten out. A more technical explanation uses the "law of conservation of angular momentum". This shows again the natural tendency to form a disk from a spinning cloud.


What has the author Gary J Melnick written?

Gary J. Melnick has written: 'Observations of the rotational transitions of OH from the Orion molecular cloud' -- subject(s): Molecular rotation, Observations


What happens to the visible radiation produced by new stars within a molecular cloud?

It is absorbed by dust grains and heats up the cloud.


As the cloud collapses the force of gravity drawing the cloud inward because?

As the cloud collapses the force of gravity drawing the cloud inward gradually becomes stronger because the strength of gravity follows an inverse square law with distance. hope that helps.


Why are stars born?

Stars form from collapsing clouds of dust and gas within regions of molecular clouds, often called stellar nurseries. As the cloud collapses its density and temperature increase until it eventually reaches the point where a start begins to form in the center of the cloud.


When a nebula collapses small regions in the cloud called?

globules


The most common molecule in a molecular cloud is?

molecular hydrogen H2


What physical law explains why a cloud heats up as it collapses?

Law of Conservation of Energy.


Is Solar nebula a star?

No, its a molecular cloud.


What happens to a nimbostratus cloud?

what happens to a nimbostratus cloud


What does the gravitational force in a molecular cloud depends on?

Density