The life cycle of stars

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  • Created by: maddy8488
  • Created on: 16-02-14 12:04
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  • Life cycle of stars
    • Protostar
  • Main sequence star
    • Protostar
  • Red super giant
    • Main sequence star
      • Supernova
    • Red giant
      • Stars around the same size as the sun.
    • white dwarf
      • Red giant
        • Stars around the same size as the sun.
    • Supernova
    • Neuron star...
      • ... or Black hole
        • Neuron star...
        • Stars start to form from clouds of dust and gas. Gravity make the dust and gas to spiral in to form a protostar
          • Nuclear fusion cause hydrogen nuclei to form helium nuclei creating heat and light. smaller masses pull together to form planets which orbit the star.
            • In it's stable period it's called a Main sequence star and it lasts several billions of years
              • When hydrogen runs out. heavier elements such as iron are made by nuclear fusion.
                • Stars much bigger than the sun.
                  • Red super giant
                  • When it becomes unstable it ejects its outer layer of dust and gas as a Planetary Nebula.
                    • This leaves a hot dense solid core (White dwarf) which cools to from a black dwarf then disappears.
                      • white dwarf
                      • They expand and contract several times while undergoing more fusion forming elements as heavy as iron. eventually they explode in a Supernova making even heavier elements and ejecting them into the universe.
                        • Exploding Supernovas throws the outer layers of dust and gas into space levying a ver dens core (Neutron star). If the star is big enough it will be come a Black hole.
                          • ... or Black hole

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