Life Cycle of Stars

Front

What is the life cycle of a star?

Back

The life cycle of a star includes several stages: nebula, protostar, main sequence, red giant or supergiant, and finally, either a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole.

Front

What is a protostar?

Back

A protostar is an early stage in the formation of a star, where gas and dust collapse under gravity, but nuclear fusion has not yet begun.

Front

What defines a main sequence star?

Back

A main sequence star is a star that is in the stable phase of its life cycle, where it fuses hydrogen into helium in its core.

Front

What happens to a star when it exhausts its hydrogen fuel?

Back

When a star exhausts its hydrogen fuel, it leaves the main sequence and can expand into a red giant or supergiant, depending on its mass.

Front

What is a supernova?

Back

A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion that occurs at the end of a star's life cycle, often resulting from the collapse of a massive star.

Front

What is a black hole?

Back

A black hole is an object with a gravitational pull so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it.

Front

How does the mass of a star affect its life cycle?

Back

The mass of a star determines its temperature, luminosity, and the length of its life cycle; more massive stars have shorter lifespans.

Front

What is the difference between a red giant and a supergiant?

Back

Red giants are stars that have expanded and cooled after exhausting hydrogen in their cores, while supergiants are even larger and more luminous stars that have gone through more complex fusion processes.

Front

What is the role of gravity in star formation?

Back

Gravity causes gas and dust in a nebula to collapse and form a protostar, initiating the star formation process.

Front

What is the significance of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram?

Back

The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram is a scatter plot of stars showing the relationship between their absolute magnitudes and stellar classifications, helping to understand star evolution.