The Life and Death of a Star

1. The Life and Death of a Star

2. Birth of Low and Medium Mass Stars • Nebula • Large cloud of gas and dust.

3. Protostar • When the cloud of gas and dust contract together to form a body which begins to resemble a star.

4. Main Sequence Star • A star is formed when nuclear fusion begins in its core. • Low Mass stars can burn up to 200 billion years. • Medium Mass stars can burn up to 10 billion years

5. Death of Low and Medium Mass Stars • Red Giant • Star expands to several times its size and becomes brighter.

7. Planetary Nebula • Outer layers of the star’s atmosphere begin to drift away. • Only the core of the star is left.

8. White Dwarf • The remaining hot core of the star.

9. Black Dwarf • A black corpse of the original star.

10. Birth of High Mass Stars • Nebula • Large cloud of gas and dust.

11. Protostar • Larger amounts of dust and gas contract together.

12. Main sequence high mass star • Much larger and burns fuel quicker. • Average life span is 10-15 million years.

13. Death of High Mass Stars • Supergiant • Star runs out of fuel and expands. • Much larger and brighter than a red giant.

14. Supernova • Core of supergiant collapses under its weight. • Core explodes shinning millions of times brighter.

15. Neutron Star • Small, dense remains of the high mass star after a supernova. • Pulsars-spinning neutron stars which “pulsate” radio waves.

17. OR • Black hole • An object with gravity so strong that nothing can escape it. • Extremely dense.