Life Cycle of a Star

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What is the life cycle of a star?

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The life cycle of a star is the series of stages a star goes through from its formation in a stellar nebula to its eventual death, which can result in a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole.

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What is a stellar nebula?

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A stellar nebula is a giant cloud of gas and dust in space, where new stars are born.

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What is a protostar?

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A protostar is a hot ball of mostly hydrogen that forms from a stellar nebula, where nuclear fusion has not yet started.

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What triggers a supernova in a high mass star?

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A supernova in a high mass star is triggered by the collapse of the star's core after it has exhausted its nuclear fuel.

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What is a black hole?

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

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What is the final stage of a low mass star?

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The final stage of a low mass star is a white dwarf.

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What is a white dwarf?

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A white dwarf is the remnant core of a low mass star that has shed its outer layers and is no longer undergoing fusion.

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What is a neutron star?

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A neutron star is the collapsed core of a massive star that has undergone a supernova explosion, composed mostly of neutrons.

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What is the H-R diagram?

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The H-R diagram (Hertzsprung-Russell diagram) is a scatter plot of stars showing the relationship between their absolute magnitudes or luminosities versus their stellar classifications or effective temperatures.

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Which type of star is the hottest?

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Type B stars are the hottest stars, characterized by their high temperatures and blue color.