GCSE Physics Unit 2: Stars

Flashcards covering key concepts of the life cycle of stars as outlined in the lecture notes.

Fusion

The process by which stars fuse elements to release energy.

Gravitational Force

The force that acts inwards on a star, affecting its stability.

Radiation and Gas Pressure

The forces acting outwards that help maintain a star's stability.

Red Giant

A phase in a star's life cycle when it expands and fuses helium into larger elements.

White Dwarf

The stage a star enters after helium fuel begins to run out and the star shrinks.

Protostar

A stage in star formation where gravity collects gas and dust together, leading to increased temperature.

Main Sequence Star

A star that fuses hydrogen into helium, balancing gravitational forces with radiation and gas pressure.

Supergiant

A large star that expands after fusing helium into larger elements, eventually becoming very unstable.

Supernova

An explosive end of a massive star, resulting in the fusion of the heaviest elements and ejection of gases.

Neutron Star

A dense remnant of a star that remains after a supernova, resulting from the collapse of matter.

Black Hole

An object with gravitational pull so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it.

Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

A graph that shows the relationship between stars' size, temperature, luminosity, and stages of life.