The Cycle Of Stars Flashcards
What do stars initially form from?
Dust and Gas.
What does the force of gravity do to the gas and dust?
It makes them spiral in together to form a protostar.
What is gravitational energy converted into?
Heat energy.
So the temperature rises.
What happens when the temperature gets high enough?
Hydrogen nuclei undergo nuclear fusion to form helium nuclei.
What else happens when hydrogen nuclei undergo nuclear fusion?
Massive amounts of heat and light is given off.
What do smaller masses of gas and dust do?
Pull together to make planets that orbit the star.
The star immediately enters what?
Long stable period.
What does heat created by the nuclear fusion provide?
An outward pressure to balance the force of gravity pulling everything inwards.
How long does the star maintain its energy output?
Millions of years .
The star maintains its energy output for millions of years because why?
Its due to the massive amounts of hydrogen it consumes.
In the stable period what is it called?
Main sequence star.
Last several billion years.
Eventually the hydrogen begins to what?
Run out.
Heavier elements are made like?
Iron.
Heavier elements are made by what?
Nuclear fusion of helium.
The star then swells into what?
Red giant - small star.
Red super giant - big star.
