Open main menu

Changes

Lifecycle of a Star

No change in size, 21:00, 7 April 2019
Low Mass Star
#[[Red Giant]] - A [[star]] that has run out of [[Hydrogen]] for [[Nuclear Fusion|fusion]] so the [[pressure]]s are no longer balanced and its core collapses under [[gravity]] until the core is hot enough to [[Nuclear Fusion|fuse]] [[Helium]] into more [[massive]] [[element]]s. During this time the outer layers expand as the [[star]] cools but becomes brighter as it becomes much bigger.
#[[White Dwarf]] - A [[star]] which as run out of low [[mass]] [[element]]s to [[Nuclear Fusion|fuse]]. There is no more outward [[pressure]] due to [[Nuclear Fusion|fusion]] so the core collapses due to [[gravity]] into a ball of [[Iron]] and continues to glow for millions of years as it [[radiation|radiates]] its [[Thermal Energy Store|thermal energy]].
#[[Black Dwarf]] - Once a [[White Dwarf]] has cooled enough it will no longer glow and become a [[Black Dwarf]]. These [[star]]s do not yet exist because the [[Universe]] has not existed long enough for [[White DrawfDwarf|White Dwarves]] to cool.
====High Mass Star====