1.3 The Life Cycle of Stars

Front

What is a Protostar?

Back

The earliest stage of a star's life.

Front

What is a White Dwarf?

Back

A small very dense star that formed when a low-mass star has exhausted all its central nuclear fuel and lost its outer layers as a planetary nebula.

Front

What are High Mass Stars?

Back

Stars with masses greater than three times the mass of the Sun; they are the largest, hottest, and brightest Main Sequence stars, typically blue, blue-white, or white in color.

Front

When is a star considered to be born?

Back

When nuclear fusion starts.

Front

What phase will our Sun enter after it exits the Main Sequence?

Back

Red Giant.

Front

What is a Nebula?

Back

A large cloud of gas or dust in space, often the birthplace of stars.

Front

What is Nuclear Fusion?

Back

The process by which two light atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy; it powers stars.

Front

What is a Red Giant?

Back

A late phase in the life cycle of a star where it expands and cools after exhausting hydrogen in its core.

Front

What is a Neutron Star?

Back

A very dense star that is formed from the remnants of a supernova explosion of a high-mass star.

Front

What is a Supernova?

Back

A powerful and luminous explosion that occurs at the end of a high-mass star's life cycle.