What is the term for clouds of dust and gas that collapse under gravity?

What is the term for clouds of dust and gas that collapse under gravity?

• A. Nebula
• B. Galaxy
• C. Comet
• D. Meteor

Answer: (A)

Nebulae are clouds of dust and gas in space that can collapse under gravity. These vast clouds, mostly hydrogen and helium with some dust, can be pulled inward by gravity, increasing density and allowing regions to cool and contract. When enough material gathers, it can ignite nuclear fusion, giving birth to new stars. So the term that describes these collapsing interstellar clouds is nebula. A galaxy is an enormous system containing billions of stars and other matter, not just a single collapsing cloud; a comet is a small icy body that orbits the Sun, and a meteor is a fragment that burns up in Earth’s atmosphere.

Nebulae are clouds of dust and gas in space that can collapse under gravity. These vast clouds, mostly hydrogen and helium with some dust, can be pulled inward by gravity, increasing density and allowing regions to cool and contract. When enough material gathers, it can ignite nuclear fusion, giving birth to new stars. So the term that describes these collapsing interstellar clouds is nebula. A galaxy is an enormous system containing billions of stars and other matter, not just a single collapsing cloud; a comet is a small icy body that orbits the Sun, and a meteor is a fragment that burns up in Earth’s atmosphere.