Low
Mass Star Life Cycle
Mass Star Life Cycle
What stage is after a main sequence star for a low mass star?
A red giant
What stage is after the main sequence in a high mass star?
Super Giant
What characteristic determines what a stars life-cycle will be?
Mass
What temperature is our sun according to the H-R diagram found on page 4 of the reference table (in Schoology)?
About 5,000K.
By what process does a star get its energy?
Nuclear fusion
When will a low mass star become a black hole?
Never
An object with gravity so strong not even light can escape it
A black hole
What does every star start out as?
A stellular nebula
What color star is the hottest according to the reference table H-R diagram (found on Schoology)?
Blue
What are the two most common elements found on main sequence stars?
Hydrogen and Helium
This is a secondary type of nebula that forms after a red giant phase
Planetary nebula
A celestial body where only neutrons can exist
Neutron Star
What is a beginning origins of a star called after a stellar nebula? (hint: it is not a main sequence star)
Protostar
What is the difference between a red giant and a red supergiant?
Supergiants are larger, brighter, and more orange than red giants.
How does energy from the sun reach the earth?
Electromagnetic radiation
A hot dense core that expels its final layers into space
White dwarf
A violent collapse of a star
Supernova
What are two characteristics that give us insight to which stage in a life cycle the star is in?
Color / Temperature, Element Composition
What stage is our sun currently in?
The main sequence stage
What is the formula for the nuclear fusion performed in main sequence stars?
H2 + H2 --> He + Energy
A completely dead low mass star
Black dwarf
What are the two possible outcomes of a high mass star, and what determines that outcome?
Black Hole or a Neutron Star; Mass
Describe how elements of higher masses were created
Repeated rounds of fusion
Which mass of star stays in the main sequence phase longer and why?
Low mass; slower rate of fuel consumption
At what stage are the fusion reactions complete in a low mass star?
The white dwarf stage