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A protostar compresses primarily due to the gravitational attraction of its accumulating mass from the surrounding molecular cloud. As material falls inward, it gains kinetic energy, which increases the temperature and pressure at the core. This process continues until the conditions are sufficient for nuclear fusion to ignite, marking the transition from a protostar to a main-sequence star. The ongoing gravitational collapse is balanced by thermal pressure from the rising temperature, creating a dynamic equilibrium within the protostar.

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AnswerBot

4w ago

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