- All stars form from nebulae (clouds of gas and dust) pulled together by gravity
- Main sequence stars are stable because radiation pressure from fusion balances gravity
- The Sun is currently a main sequence star, about halfway through its 10-billion-year life
- Sun-like star path: Nebula → Protostar → Main sequence → Red giant → Planetary nebula → White dwarf
- Massive star path: Nebula → Protostar → Main sequence → Red supergiant → Supernova → Neutron star or Black hole
- Elements up to iron are made by fusion in stellar cores
- Elements heavier than iron are only made in supernova explosions
- More massive stars have shorter lifetimes — they burn fuel faster
- A teaspoon of neutron star material would weigh about a billion tonnes
- A black hole has gravity so strong that not even light can escape
This key facts covers Key Facts within Life Cycle of Stars for GCSE Physics. Revise Life Cycle of Stars in Space Physics for GCSE Physics with 13 exam-style questions and 12 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 8 of 14 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Practice questions for Life Cycle of Stars
The light from a distant galaxy is red-shifted. What does this tell us about the galaxy?
Explain what red-shift is and what it tells us about a distant galaxy.
Quick recall flashcards
What is a protostar?
Material that heats up as it collapses from a nebula, but is not yet fusing hydrogen
What is a nebula?
A cloud of gas and dust where gravity pulls material together to form new stars