Star life cycle

Star Lifecycle

SWBAT: describe the lifecycle of the star in a written mode by the end of the class period.

​Essential Question(s):

​

• How does our sun compare to other stars in the universe?

• How do stars change over time?

• How do stars form?

Before we start, you need to know certain vocabulary.

​


UNIVERSE- All of space and its components

GALAXY- a system of stars and associated matter, held together by gravitational attraction

CONTEXT

Multiple Choice

What is a galaxy?

• Like a solar system, but made of dust

• A cluster of thousands of stars all floating together in space

• A cellphone made by the Nokia company

• A grouping of hundreds of millions of stars held together by gravity

• Star – luminous globe of gas which produces its own heat and light by nuclear reaction

Stars burn hydrogen into helium. (mostly made of these 2)

​

What is a STAR?

Multiple Choice

Is the sun a stars?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

What element is used as fuel for a Main Sequence Star?

• Helium
• Hydrogen
• Iron
• Carbon

​Its a big dust cloud.
Bigger than start, but smaller than a Galaxy

The Dust starts accumulating because of the gravity which creates a star.

It all starts in the NEBULA

Multiple Choice

A star starts its "life" in a vast cloud of gas called a nebula.
How big is a typical nebula?

• Smaller than planets
• Bigger than planets, smaller than stars
• Bigger than stars, smaller than galaxies
• Bigger than galaxies

​All stars begin in a cloud of gas

and dust called a

stellar nebula. ​

Gravity will cause the nebula to

contract.

The nebula will break into smaller

pieces. These pieces will

eventually form stars.

​

Life Cycle of a Star​

Is an average sized star...

• Its born in a NEBULA

• It will stay in this main sequence phase for a long time.

• When it starts to die it grows into a RED GIANT

  (same mass= law of conservation)

• Then it will go planetary nebula

• Then die as a white dwarf​

Our Sun

Multiple Choice

In a very very very very long time, our Sun will run out of fuel and transition into a Red Giant. How will its mass change?

(Before ejecting a planetary nebula)

• The giant star will have more mass than our sun

• The giant star will have less mass than our sun

• The giant star will have the same mass as our sun

• This is the wrong answer.

Multiple Choice

A star that burns its nuclear fuel steadily over time is known as...

• a stable star

• a main sequence star

• a primary star

• a supernova

Multiple Choice

The red giant phase of a star's lifecycle begins when...

• the star's fuel begins to run out

• the star blows out its atmosphere

• a planetary nebula condenses into a protostar

Multiple Choice

After an average star has exhausted its fuel, the star becomes a(n)

• neutron star

• supernova

• white dwarf

• planetary nebula

Vocabulary

Luminosity

Brightness

In an HR Diagram brightness Increases from bottom to top

​

Temperature

In an HR Diagram​ temperature increases to the RIGHT

Multiple Select

What is Sagittarius A thought to be?

• The center of our Milky Way Galaxy

• A Supernova

• A supermassive Black Hole

• The shadow of our Sun

Categorize

Options (8)

Reachers higher temperatures

Have Higher luminosity (brightness)

More stages

Shorter Lifespan

Temperatures not as high

Have lower luminosity (brightness)

Less Stages

Longer lifespans

Organize these options into the right categories: How does the lifecycle of a star with less mass compare to a star with more mass?

High Mass Stars

Low Mass Stars

This is the Pillars of Creation within the Eagle Nebula, part of M16, viewed by the Hubble Telescope