Final answer:
The statement is true: large interstellar clouds can collapse under their own gravity to form several stars at roughly the same time, as seen in the formation of star clusters from the same molecular cloud.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that large interstellar clouds can collapse to form several stars approximately at the same time is true. Interstellar clouds, also known as nebulae, can become dense and massive enough to collapse under their own gravity, which leads to the formation of new stars. This process is part of the stellar life cycle where gravitational forces cause these clouds to fragment, and individual fragments then collapse to form stars.
Looking at star clusters, we observe that stars within a cluster are often quite close in age, implying that they originated from the same molecular cloud. Clusters of stars that are held together by gravity and moving around a common center indeed suggest that they formed simultaneously from the collapse of a vast interstellar cloud. This is further supported by the continuity of the diffuse gas of the disk of galaxies, which rapidly (in astronomical terms) collapses and fragments to form new stars.
In the bigger picture, the interstellar medium is a dynamic system with molecular clouds constantly forming, shifting, and swelling as a result of various intergalactic and stellar processes. The life cycle of stars, including their formation in clouds and their eventual explosion as supernovae, contributes to this cycle by spreading material through interstellar space, thereby providing ingredients for future star formation.