Describe the life cycle of stars

Explain where stars fit in the hierarchy of the universe, the characteristics of stars, and processes by which stars form, live, and die. Discuss how the materials are recycled and how this process might be related to the structure of the Milky Way Galaxy and to the origin of the universe. Consider these facts in describing the life cycle of stars: a. Stars seem unchanging, but they are not. b. Stars are born from the interstellar medium, become main sequence stars, use up sources of energy, and then ultimately die. c. During this time, the star can change dramatically. d. A star’s ultimate fate depends on its mass.

General Astronomy Questions

a. Light is one form of electromagnetic radiation. What are electromagnetic waves and what other types are there besides light? Compare their wavelengths. b. How can the temperature, composition, and motion of an object be determined from its light spectrum? c. What are three ways astronomers learn about the interior of the Sun and thus infer that the Sun’s energy comes from nuclear fusion reactions? How do we know it does not come from chemical burning? d. Explain how the Sun produces energy by nuclear fusion.

General Astronomy Questions

e. When we look at stars in the sky we see a wide range of brightness. Explain the factors that would make one star appear brighter than another. f. Compare the Sun with other stars. g. Consider a star at the upper part of the main sequence (label it Star A) and a star in the lower part of the main sequence (label it Star B). Which is: 1) Larger? 2) More luminous? 3) More massive? 4) Hotter? h. Compare the life spans of low mass stars and high mass stars. Explain why they are different.

General Astronomy Questions

1) Evidence is strong that the formation of the Sun (and its family of planets) happened by the same processes as the formation of stars. Explain. 2) How are planets detected around other stars? 3) Did the Sun and solar system form in the first half or last half of our galaxy’s history? Explain. 4) Compare the stars found in the galactic disk (where the Sun is located) with the stars in the halo of our galaxy.

General Astronomy Questions

r. How many years would a radio signal take to reach the nearest large galaxy to us, the Andromeda galaxy? (Hint: Consider the nature of all electromagnetic waves.) s. Why is the study of the most distant galaxies we can see related to the study of conditions around the time that our galaxy (and perhaps others) was forming? t. What ? Explain.