Star Formation

The interstellar medium & nebula clouds are important because

• the Big Bang would've never occurred without them.

• black holes would never exist if the clouds were not there.

• they make up the space between the stars.

• they are regions for new star formation.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-3

What causes the interstellar clouds to collapse to form proto-stars & stars?

• centripetal forces that act over large areas between stars

• a contraction & clumping of gas/dust due to gravity

• a contraction & clumping of gas/dust due to frictional force

• a "trigger" mechanism such as two colliding stars

Eventually a "snowball effect" occurs in a contracting gas/dust cloud which causes

• material to slowly build up into one or more proto-stars.

• a cascading avalanche of star material spreading everywhere.

• massive clumps of ice/snow to form.

• a net effect of negatively charged explosive plasma/ions.

When enough mass is accreted by a proto-star then ____ occurs at the core.

• atomic reactions

• nuclear fusion

• massive pressure

• nuclear fission

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-1

NGSS.HS-ESS1-3

What happens when a proto-star begins the hydrogen/fusion energy process in its core?

• mayhem & destruction ensues

• the proto-star becomes (officially) a real star

• no one really knows since it hasn't been observed (yet)

• the proto-star may explode due to the outward pressure

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-1

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Average-size stars like our Sun take about ___ years to form from a nebula cloud.

• 50

• 50 million

• 50 billion

• 5 million

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-1

The six stages of pre-main sequence star formation is described by

• the fusion of hydrogen into helium in the core.

• static equilibrium between gravity & the fusion process.

• astronomers who observe such phenomena.

• the Hayashi track.

It is now thought that most (if not all) stars formed

• very very slowly.

• mostly within the interstellar medium.

• in clusters within nebula clouds.

• in binary systems.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-3

The Sun and possibly the Alpha Centauri system may have formed

• as protostars in different galaxies.

• together in the same original star cluster.

• as an original quadruple star system before separating.

• billions of years apart but in the same cluster.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-1

How did the gas & dust between the stars & in all corners of the Universe get there?

• the result of planetary collisions & explosions

• by the gravitational attraction of supermassive black holes

• the Big Bang created it all

• the result of leftover remnants of previous stars

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-2