Question

The video shows a collapsing cloud of interstellar gas, which is held together by the mutual gravitational attraction of all the atoms and molecules that make up the cloud. As the cloud collapses, the overall force of gravity draws the cloud inward __________ because __________.

1. gradually becomes stronger
2. gradually becomes weaker
3. stays constant at all times
4. the strength of gravity follows an inverse square law with distance
5. the mass of the cloud increases as it collapses
6. the total gravitational force is a conserved quantity

Answer 1

1. gradually becomes stronger

Step-by-step explanation:

The gravitational force between two particles increases as the particles come closer together. Therefore, as the cloud becoming small and particles moving closer together, the force of gravity becomes stronger. This will accelerate the collapse as long as no other force resists it. This is the case where the early stages of the collapse before the internal gas pressure builds up. when the gas pressure builds up, the outward push of the pressure can counteract the inward pull of gravity, which is why the cloud after an unspecified period of time it stops contracting.