Star Formation (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Co-ordinated Sciences (Double Award)) : Revision Note
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
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