Trying to learn about Star Formation.
Star Formation
It’s hard to visualise but molecules in a giant molecular cloud have a gravitational interaction.
Is a molecular cloud an unsolvable three body problem?
There are so many particles that we treat it as a continuous substance. But surely theres a point at which the density is so low that its an n-body problem.
In a star gravity is constantly pushing for greater and greater density. The outward pressure gradient is what keeps this relentless force at bay.
Molecules, if they can’t lose their kinetic energy they release it as radiation (light). As you compress a gas, it heats up. When the kinetic energy of particles is no longer that high, the continued compression is released in the form of radiation.
There are around particles in an interstellar cloud. It’s about km in size. It’s ‘surface’ temperature is about 10K. Compared to a cloud particle/protostar which has a particle density of and 3000K
When the core temperature gets to about 10000K central temperature its outward pressure starts to balance and approach hydrostatic equilibrium.