Star Basics
These two elements make up the majority of a star.
H and He
This is the first element stars fuse in their cores.
Hydrogen
Shortly after leaving the main sequence, our Sun will become this type of star.
Red Giant
The farther away a star is, the dimmer it appears.
Apparent Brightness
A white dwarf is the final stage of this type of star.
Low-Mass Star
Stars are born here.
Stellar Nebula
The process of forming new elements through nuclear fusion.
Nucleosynthesis
A star’s final stage (white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole) is determined by this property.
Mass
A star’s brightness from Earth depends on both luminosity and this factor.
Distance
The most dense type of star.
The Neutron Star
The hottest stars appear this color.
Blue
In the main sequence, these two forces balance to keep a star stable.
Gravity and fusion
Small stars live longer than large stars because they burn this more slowly.
Hydrogen
The total energy a star gives off, not just how bright it appears.
Luminosity
These particles are fusing together to make neutrons in a neutron star.
Protons and Electrons
These stars are cooler, redder, and 3x the size of our Sun.
Red Giants
Combining three helium atoms produces this element.
Carbon
A very massive star ends its life as this, not a Neutron Star.
Black Hole
These stars, like our Sun, fall along this main band on the H-R diagram.
Main Sequence
Over time, the density of a black hole does this.
Increases
This diagram shows the relationship between a star’s luminosity and temperature.
HR Diagrams
Fusion in massive stars stops once this element is reached.
Iron
This explosive event marks the death of a high-mass star.
Supernova
On the H-R diagram, the hottest and brightest stars are found here.
Upper Left
At this boundary of a black hole, nothing can escape, not even light.
Event Horizon