Life Cycle of a Star Much Bigger than the Sun
Physics: Cambridge International GCSE Supplement, topic 6.2.4
Life Cycle of a Star Much Bigger than the Sun
A star's life cycle depends on its size. All stars begin their life cycle like the Sun. Gravity pulls nebulae (more than 1 nebula) together to form a protostar, which becomes a main sequence star. If a star is much bigger than the Sun, its life cycle looks like this:
Red supergiant
- Nuclear fusion changes more and more of the star’s mass into energy.
- The star expands into a red supergiant.
Supernova
- The largest stars explode in a supernova.
- A supernova produces elements heavier than iron and scatters them throughout the universe.
- The nebula from a supernova may form new stars with orbiting planets.
Black hole or neutron star
- The supernova leaves behind either a black hole or a neutron star.
Test yourself on Life Cycle of a Star Much Bigger than the Sun
Which of these is a part of a large star's life cycle?
Life Cycle of a Large Star
Which of the following is the earliest part of a large star's life cycle?