Life Cycle of a Star

Front

What is a black hole?

Back

A region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it.

Front

What does the H-R diagram represent?

Back

The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram is a scatter plot of stars showing the relationship between their absolute magnitudes or luminosities versus their stellar classifications or effective temperatures.

Front

What is a supernova?

Back

An exploding, high mass star that has reached the end of its life cycle.

Front

What stage of the life cycle are most stars, including our sun, currently in?

Back

Main Sequence.

Front

Where are white dwarf stars located on the H-R diagram?

Back

Bottom left.

Front

What is the life cycle of a star?

Back

The series of stages a star goes through from its formation to its end, including nebula, main sequence, red giant, and supernova or white dwarf.

Front

What is a nebula?

Back

A giant cloud of dust and gas in space, often the birthplace of stars.

Front

What happens to a star after it becomes a red giant?

Back

It can either shed its outer layers to form a planetary nebula and become a white dwarf, or explode as a supernova if it is a massive star.

Front

What is a white dwarf?

Back

A small, dense star that is the remnant of a low to medium mass star after it has exhausted its nuclear fuel.

Front

What is the significance of the main sequence in the life cycle of a star?

Back

It is the longest stage in a star's life cycle where it fuses hydrogen into helium in its core.