Life Cycle of a Star

Question 1

The sequence of changes that occur in a star as it ages

Answer 1

Life cycle

Question 2

Compared to a human this stage would be considered middle age

Answer 2

Red Giant/Supergiant

Question 3

Compared to a human this would be considered a fetus

Answer 3

Protostar

Question 4

Compared to a human this would be considered old age-death

Answer 4

White Dwarf/Black Hole

Question 5

Compared to a human this would be considered infancy through adulthood

Answer 5

Main Sequence

Question 6

A thinly spread area of gas and dust mostly made of hydrogen (H), carbon (C) and silicon (Si)

Answer 6

Interstellar medium

Question 7

Interstellar medium that collects into big clouds, the birthplace of stars, or a star nursery

Answer 7

nebula

Question 8

Inside of a nebular regions of greater and less gravity cause gas and dust to pull together and as atoms gather, gravitational attraction increases. This is not a stable phase as many reactions are happening

Answer 8

protostar

Question 9

This state is reached when gravity and gas pressure are equal

Answer 9

equilibrium

Question 10

When a critical temperature in the core of the protostar is reached and nuclear fusion begins. An extremely hot ball of gas where Hydrogen (H) begins fusing into Helium (He)

Answer 10

Star

Question 11

When the hydrogen is used up, stars fuse helium into _________

Answer 11

carbon

Question 12

Stars live out most of their lives in this phase

Answer 12

main sequence

Question 13

Our Sun is currently in this phase

Answer 13

Main Sequence

Question 14

A yellow, medium size, low mas star that has been main sequence for about 4.57 billion years.

Answer 14

Our Sun

Question 15

The stage for low mass stars after main sequence is

Answer 15

Red Giant

Question 16

Occurs at the end of a low mass Red Giant’s life

Answer 16

planetary nebula

Question 17

The core of the planetary nebula, forms when a low mass star runs out of fuel. Incredibly dense.

Answer 17

white dwarf

Question 18

End product of a white dwarf, the last stage of stellar evolution for low mass stars. No longer emits heat or light, no longer a star.

Answer 18

Black Dwarf

Question 19

High mass stars phase after main sequence

Answer 19

Red Super Giants

Question 20

Next stage after Red Super Giant for a high mass star. The core becomes so heavy it cannot withstand its own gravitational force and it collapses and results in a giant explosion

Answer 20

Supernova

Question 21

The core left behind after a supernova, very intense gravity, 2 billion times the gravity on Earth. The gravity presses the material in so tightly protons and electrons combine to form neutrons

Answer 21

Neutron Star

Question 22

This forms when a very massive star collapses at the end of its life. It has such a strong gravitational pull nothing can escape, not even light

Answer 22

Black Hole