Star formation
- Stars go through a sequence of evolutionary stages, known as the life cycle of a star
- All stars follow the same initial stages:
nebula → protostar → stable star
Nebula
- Stars form from a giant interstellar cloud of gas and dust called a nebula
Protostar
- The gravitational attraction within a nebula pulls the particles closer together until a hot ball of gas forms, known as a protostar
Stable star
- Once the protostar becomes hot enough and the forces inside the star become balanced, it is known as a stable star
Fate of the star
- Once a stable star is formed, the final stages of its life cycle depend on its mass
- The different life cycles are shown below
Summary of the life cycles of stars
Flow diagram showing the life cycle of a star which is the same size as the Sun (solar mass) and the lifecycle of a star which is much more massive than the Sun
