A Stars Life
By Tristin Trybulski
Interstellar Medium
- Interstellar medium is the material which fills the space between the stars.
- Composed of interstellar gas, and of its mass, about 75% is in the form of hydrogen
- Its in the space between the stars
Protostar
- A cloud of gas (hydrogen) and Helium dust Carbon and silicon.
- he gravity pulls atoms together.In order to achieve life as a star, the protostar is made.
Equilibrium
- Is a balance between gravity pulling atoms to the center and gas pressure pushing heat and light away from the center.
- Gravity pulling atoms to the center and gas pressure pushing light and heat away from the center
- Gas pressure the pressure exerted by gas.Gravity is the force attracting a body towards the center of the earth
- Gravity pushes inward Gas pressure pushes outward
The Birth of a Star
- After equilibrium is established, a certain nuclear process begins. Nuclear Fusion
- What is this process? It begins by fusing hydrogen in the core into Helium
- Define this process. fusion is when two smaller particles fuse together to make one
- What causes this process to begin? When the hydrogen is gone it starts fuse helium into carbon
- Give an equation for the process that occurs specifically in stars. Identify starting materials and products H1 +h1= he2
Main Sequence (star)
- What is this phase called? star
- What elements make up a star during this phase? Hydrogen and Helium gas
- What happens during this phase? All the energy is pooled together in the core by the nuclear fusion.
- What determines how long (or whether) a star will be in this phase? when the star burns up all its hydrogen it enters the next stage
- What happens at the end of this phase, in terms of nuclear processes? It enters the next stage which means it is not in the main sequence any more
Red Giant
- What is this phase called? Red giant
- What elements make up a star during this phase? Helium and Hydrogen
- What happens during this phase? The atmosphere of the giant grows while the core shrinks. As the giant grows in takes in the other planes in radius
- What nuclear processes occur during this phase? Planetary nebula phase
- What happens to the properties of a star during this phase (luminosity, temperature, volume) Temperatures and pressures increase. the volume also increases
The Role of Star’s Light
- Each element has several prominent, and many lesser, emission lines in a characteristic pattern. Sodium, for example, has two prominent yellow lines (the so-called D lines) at 589.0 and 589.6
- How does a star’s light become red-shifted or blue-shifted? when the star moves away from us it becomes blue shifted and when it comes towards us it becomes red shifted