Stellar Evolution
Stellar evolution describes the life cycle of stars, from their formation to their end. Stars form from clouds of gas and dust collapsing under gravity, igniting nuclear fusion in their cores. This fusion generates energy, creating light and heat. As stars age, they exhaust their nuclear fuel, leading to changes in size and temperature. They may expand into giants, fuse heavier elements, and ultimately shed their outer layers, leaving behind a dense core as a white dwarf, neutron star, or even exploding as a supernova. These processes enrich the universe with elements, essential for forming new stars and planets.
Additional Insights
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Stellar evolution is the process by which a star changes over time. It begins in a nebula, where gas and dust coalesce under gravity to form a star. Stars spend most of their lives fusing hydrogen into helium in their cores, a phase known as the main sequence. As hydrogen runs out, they evolve into red giants or supergiants, depending on their mass. Eventually, they shed their outer layers, creating nebulae, while the core becomes a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole. This cycle enriches the universe with elements, contributing to the formation of new stars and planets.
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Stellar evolution refers to the life cycle of stars, which begins with a cloud of gas and dust, called a nebula. Under gravity, this material collapses to form a protostar. Once nuclear fusion ignites in its core, it becomes a main-sequence star, like our Sun. Over time, stars exhaust their fuel and undergo changes, expanding into red giants or supergiants. Depending on their mass, they end as white dwarfs, neutron stars, or black holes. Each stage influences the universe's chemistry and structure, producing elements and often dispersing them into space, where new stars and planets may form.