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PHY-SCI-LESSON-2-1

The document explains the formation and evolution of stars, detailing processes such as stellar nucleosynthesis and nuclear fusion. It outlines the life cycle of a star from its formation in a stellar nebula to its eventual death as a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole. Key stages include the main sequence, red giant phase, and supernova events that scatter materials into space.

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Jane
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16 views15 pages

PHY-SCI-LESSON-2-1

The document explains the formation and evolution of stars, detailing processes such as stellar nucleosynthesis and nuclear fusion. It outlines the life cycle of a star from its formation in a stellar nebula to its eventual death as a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole. Key stages include the main sequence, red giant phase, and supernova events that scatter materials into space.

Uploaded by

Jane
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Formation of

heavier elements
during stellar
formation and
evolution
What is star?

• A celestial luminous body in the sky.


They are primarily made up of mostly
hydrogen, with some helium and small
amounts of other elements.

• Every star has its own life cycle.


What is stellar
nucleosynthesis?
• The process by which elements are formed
within stars as a result of nuclear fusion.

So, What is nuclear fusion?


• The process by which multiple nuclei joined together to
form a heavier nucleus.
Did you know that the sun is a star?
⋆ Sun is the closest or nearest star to Earth.
⋆ It is only about 150 million kilometers away and it
takes only 8 minutes and 20 seconds for sunlight to
reach our world.
⋆ Its diameter is about 1.4 million kilometers or 100
times of the earth.
⋆ It is only a medium sized star with yellow color.
Stellar evolution
1. Stellar nebula
Nebulae are vast clouds
of dust and gas.
Predominantly composed
of hydrogen and helium.

They are also known as


star nurseries as new
stars form within them.
1. Stellar nebula
Though the dust and gas
within nebulae are spread
out, gravitational forces
cause them to clump
together, forming what is
known protostar.

Protostar - it is a hot core


at the heart of the
collapsing cloud that will
one day become star
2. Main sequence
In a main sequence star, the
inward pressure of its gravity is
balanced by the outward pressure
of nuclear fusion, where the star
produces energy by converting
hydrogen atoms to helium atoms.

The star can remain under this


balance for billions of years, as our
Sun is currently doing. Eventually
however, the star runs out of
hydrogen to fuel it and the nuclear
fusion reaction stops. Main Sequence
Red giant or Red super
giant
Eventually, the hydrogen which
powers the nuclear reactions
inside a star begins to run out. All
stars will expand, cool and change
color to become a red giant or
super red giant.
Planetary nebula and
supernova
A smaller star or the average star,
will gradually cool down and stop
glowing. During these changes it
will go through the planetary
nebula phase.

A planetary nebula is a region of


cosmic gas and dust formed from
the cast-off outer layers of a dying
star.
Planetary nebula and
supernova
A massive star experiences a
much more energetic and violent
end. It explodes as a supernova.
This scatters materials from
inside the star across space.

A supernova is what happens when


a star has reached the end of its
life and explodes in a brilliant burst
of light.
White dwarf, neutron
star and black hole
Eventually, red giant stars become
too unstable and expel their outer
gaseous layers, leaving a small,
extremely dense, solid core, known
as a white dwarf.

Without enough energy to emit


light, the white dwarf becomes a
black dwarf.
White dwarf, neutron
star and black hole
Less massive red super giants
condense into neutron stars after
undergoing a supernova.

Neutron stars are incredibly


dense, with a single teaspoon of
neutron star weighing a billion
tons. The gravity from such stars'
masses causes protons and
electrons to fuse into neutrons.
White dwarf, neutron
star and black hole
If the star was of an extremely
high mass then, after a supernova,
it could collapse into itself,
forming a black hole, in which
gravity is so strong that even light
cannot escape it.

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