Star Mass, Fusion, and Stability

Vocabulary flashcards covering the relationships between stellar mass, gravity, nuclear fusion rates, luminosity, and stellar stability.

Luminosity

The amount of energy released per second by a star.

Star Stability

The state maintained as long as a star's mass stays the same, preserving the ongoing balance between gravity and fusion energy.

Star Instability

The state that occurs when a star's mass changes, disrupting the balance between gravity and fusion energy.

Nuclear Fusion (in the core)

The core process identified in the How the Sun Works investigation required to explain what causes stars to remain stable or to undergo changes.

Fuel Consumption Rate in More Massive Stars

The rapid rate at which larger stars burn through their fuel because they possess more gravity and need more fuel to function.

Gravitational Effects in High-Mass Stars

A greater gravitational pull that forces more fusion reactions, generating more energy, higher temperatures, greater brightness, and a shorter lifespan.

Fusion Rate in Lower Mass Stars

A slower rate of fusion caused by a weaker gravitational pull forcing fewer fusion reactions.

Energy Production in High-Mass Stars

The capacity of higher mass stars to produce more energy than low-mass stars due to greater gravity forcing more fusion reactions.