puddingsmodellen

The Pudding Model is a conceptual framework used to explain the formation of stars and planets. It describes a scenario where a diffuse cloud of gas and dust, primarily hydrogen and helium, begins to collapse under its own gravity. As this cloud contracts, it spins faster and flattens into a disk, similar to how dough flattens when spun.

Within this protoplanetary disk, denser regions can form. These overdensities are thought to accrete more material from their surroundings, gradually growing in size. In the context of planet formation, these clumps of matter are the precursors to planets. In the case of star formation, the central region of the collapsing cloud continues to contract and heat up, eventually reaching the temperatures and pressures necessary for nuclear fusion to ignite, marking the birth of a star.

The term "pudding" is a colloquialism that refers to the clumping and merging of matter, much like ingredients in a pudding might mix and coalesce. While not a formal scientific term, it effectively conveys the idea of gravitational instability and accretion leading to the formation of distinct celestial bodies. The Pudding Model is a simplified but useful analogy for understanding the initial stages of star and planet formation from interstellar material. It highlights the role of gravity in gathering and concentrating matter in the early universe.