The temperature gradient in the accretion disk surrounding a protostar is due in part to the fact that material closer to the protostar has converted less of its kinetic energy into thermal energy compared to materials farther away.

Question

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The temperature gradient in an accretion disk is due to material closer to the protostar converting more kinetic energy into thermal energy, resulting in higher temperatures near the protostar.

The Temperature Gradient in the Accretion Disk Surrounding a Protostar