When parts of a gas cloud collapse, where does the material first form clumps?(1 point) Responses in denser regions with little space between atoms in denser regions with little space between atoms in less dense regions with more space between atoms in less dense regions with more space between atoms in denser regions with more space between atoms in denser regions with more space between atoms in less dense regions with little space between atoms

in denser regions with little space between atoms

When parts of a gas cloud collapse, the material first forms clumps in denser regions with little space between atoms.

When parts of a gas cloud collapse, the material first forms clumps in denser regions with little space between atoms.

To understand why this happens, let's consider the process of star formation within a gas cloud. Gas clouds in space consist of various elements and molecules scattered throughout. Due to gravity and other forces acting on the cloud, there can be areas within the cloud that become denser than others.

When the dense regions of the gas cloud collapse, the force of gravity becomes stronger and pulls the nearby gas and dust particles closer together. As the particles move closer, they start to interact and collide with each other more frequently. This increased interaction causes the gas particles to lose their random motion and start to settle into more stable formations.

In these denser regions, there is less space between atoms or particles, resulting in a higher concentration of matter. With more particles in a confined space, there is a greater chance for gravitational forces to dominate and make the clumping process more efficient. Over time, the clumps continue to attract additional surrounding material, ultimately leading to the formation of stars, planets, or other celestial bodies.

In contrast, less dense regions with more space between atoms have a lower concentration of matter. The gravitational forces are weaker in these regions, making it less likely for clumping to occur and for material to form significant structures.

Therefore, it is in the denser regions with little space between atoms that the material first forms clumps during the collapse of a gas cloud.