A cluster of material compacted under increasing pressures and evolved into Earth. Increased pressure =?

In the context of geological processes, increased pressure within a cluster of material, such as during the formation of Earth, leads to increased heat due to several physical principles. When materials are subjected to higher pressure, the atoms and molecules are forced closer together, which can result in more energetic molecular vibrations and interactions. This is primarily due to the conversion of potential energy into kinetic energy as the material is compressed.

Geothermal gradients, which describe the rate of temperature increase with depth beneath the Earth's surface, also indicate that as pressure rises at greater depths, temperature tends to increase. This process is influenced by the heat generated from friction and the decay of radioactive elements within the Earth's crust, but the relationship between pressure and temperature is a fundamental aspect of material science and geology.

Therefore, the correct answer reflects the principle that increased pressure during the compaction of material contributes to an increase in heat, which is a critical factor in the processes of planet formation and geological activity.