Life Cycle of Stars

main sequence star

longest, stable part of star’s life

red giant

a later stage in a star's life cycle when it expands and cools after using up the hydrogen in its core.

white dwarf

the final stage of a star's life cycle, where it is made of small, dense leftovers from a red giant

supernova

a powerful explosion that occurs at the end of a massive star's life cycle

fusion

hydrogen and hydrogen smash together and make helium and a bunch of energy

black hole

a region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it, formed when a massive star collapses under its own gravity.

neutron star

a dense remnant of a massive star that has undergone a supernova explosion, composed mostly of neutrons.

nucleosynthesis

the making of elements

heavy elements

elements created after iron that get made in a supernova

cosmic background radiation

leftover energy from the big bang

composition of the universe

75% Hydrogen and 25% Helium