The Life cycle of stars Flashcards
To try and remember the life cycle of stars with the same mass as the sun and with a larger mass than the sun
How do stars form?
Stars form from clouds of dust and gas which are pulled together by gravitational attraction.
As the density increases, the temperature rises.
When the temperature gets high enough, nuclear fusion happens and a lot of energy is emitted.
Why does the main sequence star always stay stable?
As the outward pressure caused by the nuclear fusion that tries to expand the star.
Balances the force of gravity by pulling everything inwards.
What happens during the white dwarf phase?
The star becomes unstable and ejects its outer layer of dust and gas and leaves behind a hot, dense, solid core - a white dwarf.
What happens when a white dwarf cools?
It emits less and less energy.
What happens during the red giant phase?
Hydrogen begins to run out. It becomes red as it is cool.
Heavier elements are created in the core of the star.
