The life Cycle of a star

Type Notes

Date @August 25, 2023

Reviewed

Stars are born from clouds of gas and dust in space. This is called a nebula.

A nebula contraction occurs when a cloud of gas and dust begins to collapse
due to gravity

As the contraction continues, the proton star becomes denser and hotter until
nuclear fusion starts, and the start become a main sequence star.

After billion of year, the main sequence star begin to run out of fuel, and the
core contracts. This causes the outer layer to expand, and the star becomes a
red giant.

The red giant eventually shed its outer layer, creating a planetary nebula,
leaving begin, hot core

Depending on the mass of the core, it can become a white dwarf, a neutron
star, or a black hole. These objects have different properties and are formed
by different processes.

Main Sequence Star

Main sequence is the longest stage in the star’s life, where it converts hydrogen to
helium. The process takes billion of years and determines its size and brightness.

Red giant star

The life Cycle of a star 1

 When a star exhausts its fuel, it expands into a red giant, increasing in size and
cooling off. Eventually, it will shed its outer layer and become a white dwarf.

White dwarf
The size of a star is a key factor in determining its fate. Generally stars that are
smaller than our sun will eventually fade out into a white dwarf, while large star
have a more explosive end. Ultimately, the size of a star plays a crucial role in
determining its life cycle and fate.

Supernova
A supernova a powerful explosions that occurs when a star exhaust its fuel and
the core collapse. It releases more energy than our sun will in it’s entire lifetime.

Neutron star/ Black hole

After a supernova. A star’s core collapses into a dense neutron star or black hole.
Gravity causes remaining gas and dust to form a planetary nebula.

The life Cycle of a star 2