Jeans Mass Calculator
Jeans Mass
Calculate the minimum mass a gas cloud must have to undergo gravitational collapse and form a star, based on temperature and density.
Formula
Jeans Length = cs x sqrt(pi / (G x rho)); Jeans Mass = (pi / 6) x rho x Jeans_Length^3; cs = sqrt(kB x T / (mu x mH))
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Jeans mass?
The Jeans mass is the minimum mass a cloud of gas must have so that its gravitational self-attraction overcomes the internal pressure trying to expand it. Clouds exceeding this mass can collapse to form stars.
What determines the Jeans mass?
The Jeans mass depends on temperature, density, and composition of the gas. Colder, denser clouds have a lower Jeans mass and can collapse more easily.
How does this relate to star formation?
Molecular clouds in galaxies are much more massive than the Jeans mass and fragment into smaller clumps during collapse. Each fragment can form an individual star or a small stellar system.