Star Formation Flashcards
Where are stars formed
Giant molecular clouds
What is the structure of giant molecular clouds
Filamentary structure, very non uniform with long strands
What is inside giant molecular clouds
Clumps and cores
What can stop star formation
When massive hot stars spew out strong winds
What can trigger star formation
When the winds and supernova gases encounter cold gas in neighboring regions
What is cloud collapse
Stars form when cores in molecular clouds collapse
When does cloud collapse occur
If gravity can overpower pressure
What happens during a collapse
A core will typically fragment into several smaller pieces that each become a star
What are ttauri stars
Pre main sequence stars
What are herbig-haro objects
When jets/outflows from T Tauri stars interact with nearby gas
Ttauri stars have
Powerful X-ray sources, strong flares, strong magnetic fields
What is protostellar evolution powered by
Gravitational contraction
What is the correct structure of a molecular cloud
Core, clump, filament, entire cloud
Why does a disk form around the protostar
The fast rotation forces material in the plane rotation that is attracted to it to keep away from the star
More massive stars evolve ___ than less massive stars
Faster
