The Life Cycle of Solar Mass Stars Flashcards

All 6 cards in this deck

List the stages in the life cycle of a star of similar mass to the Sun.

Nebula → protostar → main sequence star → red giant → white dwarf

What happens during the main sequence stage of a star's life?

Hydrogen fuses to helium in the core and the star is stable, with gravity balanced by outward thermal expansion.

What is a red giant?

A star whose core hydrogen has run out, so its outer layers have expanded and cooled, making it larger and redder.

What is a white dwarf?

The hot, very dense core left behind after a red giant sheds its outer layers; no fusion occurs and it slowly cools and fades.

True or false? The Sun will end its life in a supernova.

False. The Sun is not massive enough; it will become a red giant and then a white dwarf.

True or false? A star spends most of its lifetime as a main sequence star.

True. This is its long stable stage, while it fuses hydrogen in its core.