NASA | Afterschool Universe: Life Cycle of a Small Star

The video models the lifecycle of a small to medium-sized star, like our sun, using a kinesthetic activity. Participants represent star material, initially scattered and then clumping together due to gravity to form a star. The star's life is depicted through stages: main sequence, red giant, and finally, a white dwarf with a planetary nebula. The activity illustrates the balance of forces within a star, the transition phases as hydrogen and helium are depleted, and the eventual dispersal of the star's outer shell.

What do participants at the edges of the activity represent in the star model?

• The gravitational pull

• The energy from fusion

• The outer shell of the star

• The core of the star

What happens when a star runs out of hydrogen in its core?

• The star becomes a black hole

• The core contracts and heats up

• The star explodes

• The outer shell collapses

During the red giant phase, what change occurs in the star's structure?

• The outer shell moves outward

• The outer shell contracts

• The core expands

• The star becomes smaller

What is formed when the outer shell of a star drifts away?

• A black hole

• A neutron star

• A supernova

• A planetary nebula

What does the core of the star become after helium fusion ends?

• A neutron star

• A red giant

• A white dwarf

• A black hole