Space - life cycle of stars
AQA GCSE Physics revision on Space - life cycle of stars. Aligned to the AQA GCSE Physics 8463 specification. This bank has 8 practice questions on this topic.
Sample questions (3 of 8)
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Question 1
Stars are born in...
- A) Solar storms
- B) Nebulae - vast clouds of gas (mostly hydrogen) and dust
- C) Black holes
- D) Empty space
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Answer: Nebulae - vast clouds of gas (mostly hydrogen) and dust
A nebula's gravity pulls gas + dust together. As it collapses, it heats up (gravitational potential energy -> thermal). When the core gets hot + dense enough (~10 million degrees C), nuclear fusion ignites: hydrogen -> helium + energy. A protostar becomes a MAIN SEQUENCE STAR (like our Sun). Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula: a famous star-forming region.
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Question 2
Our Sun is a...
- A) Red supergiant
- B) Main sequence star fusing hydrogen into helium
- C) White dwarf
- D) Neutron star
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Answer: Main sequence star fusing hydrogen into helium
Stars spend most of their lives on the MAIN SEQUENCE: fusing H -> He in the core. Our Sun has been doing this for ~4.6 billion years; will continue for another ~5 billion. Then becomes a red giant (~7-8 billion years from now), eventually a white dwarf (after shedding outer layers as a planetary nebula). Mass determines lifespan: bigger stars burn hotter + faster, live shorter.
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Question 3
Our Sun, after the main sequence, will become a...
- A) Black hole
- B) Red giant -> white dwarf -> black dwarf
- C) Supernova -> neutron star
- D) Brown dwarf
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Answer: Red giant -> white dwarf -> black dwarf
Sun's fate (5 billion years from now): hydrogen in core runs out -> core contracts, outer layers expand -> RED GIANT (engulfs Mercury, Venus, possibly Earth). Helium fuses to carbon. Eventually outer layers blown off as PLANETARY NEBULA. Core left behind: WHITE DWARF (Earth-sized, very hot). Slowly cools over billions of years to a BLACK DWARF (theoretically - none exist yet, universe isn't old enough).
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