Which object is the birthplace of stars, a diffuse cloud of gas and dust?

Which object is the birthplace of stars, a diffuse cloud of gas and dust?

• A. Protostar
• B. Black Hole
• C. Nebula
• D. White Dwarf

Answer: (C)

A nebula is a diffuse cloud of gas and dust in space where stars are born. In these molecular clouds, regions of higher density collapse under gravity, converting gravitational energy into heat and leading to the formation of protostars, which eventually ignite fusion to become stars. The other options are stages or end products of stellar evolution, not birthplaces: a protostar is an early forming stage inside the cloud, a black hole is a collapsed massive star, and a white dwarf is the cooled remnant of a star after its outer layers are shed.

A nebula is a diffuse cloud of gas and dust in space where stars are born. In these molecular clouds, regions of higher density collapse under gravity, converting gravitational energy into heat and leading to the formation of protostars, which eventually ignite fusion to become stars. The other options are stages or end products of stellar evolution, not birthplaces: a protostar is an early forming stage inside the cloud, a black hole is a collapsed massive star, and a white dwarf is the cooled remnant of a star after its outer layers are shed.