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Flashcards in Life Cycle Of Stars Deck (10)
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1
Q

what is a protostar

A

gas and dust brought together under gravity but without thn unclear fusion taking place

2
Q

at which stage of a larger stars life cycle are the heaviest elements found

A

supernova stage

3
Q

what is nuclear fusion

A

the joining of two small nuclei to form a larger one

4
Q

what is the first fusion which takes place in a star

A

hydrogen fuses to create helium

5
Q

what are the stages of a small star similar to that of our sun

A
Protostar
Main Sequence Star
Red Giant
White Dwarf
Black Dwarf when no radiation can be emitted
6
Q

describe the stages of a large star that is much bigger than our sun

A
Protostar 
Main Sequence Star
Red Super Giant
Supernova
Either: Neutron Star or a Black Hole ( if it is supermassive enough )
7
Q

how does a star shine

A

hydrogen fuses to form helium and lots of heat and light energy are released

8
Q

why can’t the lifetime of a star be determined

A
  • the life time is too long
  • not enough data to allow a value to be accurately calculated
  • very hard to conduct measurements needed to calculate lifetime
9
Q

what are stars made of

A

dust and gas, primarily hydrogen

10
Q

why are stars stable during the main sequence phase

A

both forces, inwards and outwards are stable