Gravitational collapse

<p>Gravitational collapse is the contraction of an <a href="/facts/Astronomical_object/BCHLa0Q2">astronomical object</a> due to the influence of its own <a href="/facts/Gravity/bqAN7DdQ">gravity</a>, which tends to draw matter inward toward the <a href="/facts/Center_of_gravity/n4Lr9GAz">center of gravity</a>. Gravitational collapse is a fundamental mechanism for structure formation in the universe. Over time an initial, relatively smooth distribution of <a href="/facts/Matter/osyc04UN">matter</a>, after sufficient <a href="/facts/Accretion_(astrophysics)/atcWRsDP">accretion</a>, may collapse to form pockets of higher density, such as <a href="/facts/Star/PFbd6ICx">stars</a> or <a href="/facts/Black_hole/1r2lmkcF">black holes</a>.
</p><p><a href="/facts/Star_formation/SMyfVDY6">Star formation</a> involves a gradual gravitational collapse of <a href="/facts/Interstellar_medium/mokU0WEz">interstellar medium</a> into clumps of <a href="/facts/Molecular_cloud/5jEwCJxs">molecular clouds</a> and potential <a href="/facts/Protostar/fhQYMSBA">protostars</a>. The compression caused by the collapse raises the temperature until <a href="/facts/Thermonuclear_fusion/fzQUW49h">thermonuclear fusion</a> occurs at the center of the star, at which point the collapse gradually comes to a halt as the outward <a href="/facts/Thermal_expansion/BP2vjX0N">thermal pressure</a> balances the gravitational forces. The star then exists in a state of <a href="/facts/Dynamic_equilibrium/jKq8wjyu">dynamic equilibrium</a>. During the star's evolution a star might collapse again and reach several new states of equilibrium.
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Gravitational collapse open-in-new

Gravitational collapse