HR Diagram

Front

What is the HR Diagram?

Back

The HR Diagram (Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram) is a scatter plot that shows the relationship between the stars' absolute magnitudes or luminosities versus their stellar classifications or effective temperatures.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-3

Front

Which color of star is the hottest?

Back

Blue Star

Front

Which color of star is the coolest?

Back

Red Star

Front

What spectral class does the Sun belong to?

Back

G

Front

What does a star's brightness depend on?

Back

A star's brightness depends on its temperature and size.

Front

What are the two main axes of the HR Diagram?

Back

The vertical axis represents luminosity (brightness), and the horizontal axis represents temperature (or spectral class).

Front

What type of stars are found in the upper left of the HR Diagram?

Back

Hot and bright stars, often referred to as blue giants.

Front

What type of stars are found in the lower right of the HR Diagram?

Back

Cool and dim stars, often referred to as red dwarfs.

Front

What is a main sequence star?

Back

A main sequence star is a star that is in the stable phase of its life cycle, where it fuses hydrogen into helium in its core.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-1

Front

What happens to a star after it exhausts its hydrogen fuel?

Back

It evolves into a red giant or supergiant, depending on its mass.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-1