life cycle of stars

Front

Where does star formation begin?

Back

nebula

Answer explanation

Star formation begins in a nebula, which is a cloud of gas and dust in space. This environment provides the necessary conditions for gravity to pull material together, leading to the birth of new stars.

Front

Are stars produced in the nebula?

Back

True

Answer explanation

True. Stars are formed in nebulae, which are vast clouds of gas and dust in space. Under the right conditions, gravity causes the material in a nebula to collapse, leading to the birth of new stars.

Front

Is a protostar the last stage of a star's life?

Back

False

Answer explanation

A protostar is not the last stage of a star's life; it is an early stage in the formation of a star. The last stages include red giant or supernova, depending on the star's mass.

Front

Which is an accurate description of determining a star's life span?

Back

The less mass of the star, the longer the life span.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is that the less mass of the star, the longer the life span. Lower mass stars burn their fuel more slowly, allowing them to live longer compared to more massive stars, which have shorter life spans.

Front

What is true about main sequence stars?

Back

They are average sized medium stars

Answer explanation

Main sequence stars are classified as average-sized medium stars, typically ranging from about 0.1 to 10 times the mass of the Sun. They are not all dim or very luminous, as their brightness varies across the spectrum.

Front

Which of the following is NOT true about main sequence stars?

• as temperature increases so does luminosity
• all medium/ average sized stars
• include red giants, yellow stars, blue giants
• has the least amount of stars

Back

has the least amount of stars

Answer explanation

Main sequence stars are the most common type of stars, not the least. They include a range of sizes and colors, but red giants and blue giants are not main sequence stars. Thus, the statement about having the least amount of stars is NOT true.

Front

Which star would have the longer life span? Options: main sequence, blue giant

Back

main sequence

Answer explanation

Main sequence stars have a longer life span than blue giants because they burn their fuel more slowly. Blue giants consume their hydrogen rapidly, leading to shorter lifespans, while main sequence stars can last billions of years.

Front

Smaller stars lifespan would be:

• longer than giant stars
• shorter than giant stars
• the same length of time as giant stars
• changes depending on the color of star

Back

longer than giant stars

Answer explanation

Smaller stars have longer lifespans than giant stars because they burn their fuel more slowly. This slower rate of fusion allows them to exist for billions of years, while giant stars have shorter lifespans due to their rapid fuel consumption.

Front

What causes the explosion of a supernova?

Back

pressure increasing because the core is shrinking

Answer explanation

A supernova explosion occurs when pressure increases due to the core shrinking. As the core collapses, it generates immense pressure, leading to a catastrophic explosion. This makes 'pressure increasing because the core is shrinking' the correct answer.

Front

When our Sun becomes a Red Giant, it will engulf _______. Options: just Mercury, all the inner planets, the entire solar system, just Mercury and Venus

Back

all the inner planets.

Answer explanation

When the Sun becomes a Red Giant, it will expand significantly, engulfing all the inner planets, including Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. Therefore, the correct answer is 'all the inner planets.'