4.5 The Life and Death of Stars: A Cosmic Journey

What elements were primarily involved in the earliest era of star formation?

• Neon and Zinc

• Hydrogen and Helium

• Carbon and Oxygen

• Iron and Silicon

What triggers the nuclear fusion in a star?

• Radiation from other stars

• Gravitational pull from planets

• Electromagnetic repulsion

• High temperature and pressure

What is the fate of a low-mass star after it exhausts its hydrogen?

• Turns into a black hole

• Becomes a neutron star

• Transforms into a red giant

• Immediately collapses

During the 'helium flash' phase, what elements are formed from helium?

• Hydrogen and Helium

• Carbon and Oxygen

• Iron and Nickel

• Silicon and Neon

What is the final stage of a low-mass star before becoming a white dwarf?

• Asymptotic giant branch

• Red giant

• Main sequence

• Supernova

What is the most stable element formed in the core of a high-mass star?

• Hydrogen

• Iron

• Carbon

• Oxygen

What event is triggered when a high-mass star's core collapses?

• Formation of a white dwarf

• Expansion into a red giant

• Eruption into a supernova

• Transformation into a neutron star

What remains after a supernova explosion if the core's mass is between 1.4 and 3 solar masses?

• A red giant

• A black hole

• A neutron star

• A white dwarf

What defines a black hole?

• Helium fusion

• Stable iron core

• Visible light emission

• Infinite density and zero volume

Why are black holes significant in the study of the universe?

• Their gravitational effects are profound

• They emit visible light

• They are remnants of low-mass stars

• They contain infinite density