Home > Astronomy > Life and Death of Stars

How does a star change over its life cycle?

Answer 1

To quote Hemingway on 'How did you go bankrupt?':

'Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.'

First we need to define the 'birth' of a star. Stars are created when giant molecular clouds starts collapsing into a small core (think a few thousand times the Solar System) .
NOT TO SCALE) with heavier elements closer to the center (they're heavier so they sink). This is a star that only has a few days to live as it's already accumulated inert iron in its centre.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Answer 2

Layla Anderson

Before a star can become a main sequence star, it must first collapse into a cloud of gas and dust, ignite nuclear fusion, and become a protostar. Depending on how massive the star is, it can then become a red giant, shed its outer layers as a planetary nebula, and leave behind a white dwarf. Stars that are more massive can explode into supernovae, which can result in neutron stars or black holes.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.