Protostar
Key Stage 4
Meaning
A protostar is a star that has just formed from a nebula but is not yet hot enough for fusion to occur in its core.
About Protostars
- The collapse of the nebula to form a protostar transfers energy from the gravitational potential energy store of the gas and dust to the thermal energy store of the gas and dust, so it glows.
- The core of the protostar is not yet hot enough to undergo nuclear fusion.
- There is a disk of gas and dust around the protostar which will eventually form the planetary system.
References
AQA
- Protostar, page 280, GCSE Physics; Student Book, Collins, AQA
- Protostars, page 100, GCSE Physics; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
- Protostars, page 251, GCSE Physics, Hodder, AQA
- Protostars, pages 232-233, GCSE Physics; Third Edition, Oxford University Press, AQA
- Protostars, pages 318, 319, GCSE Physics; The Complete 9-1 Course for AQA, CGP, AQA