Stellar Evolution IGCSE Physics

Flashcards summarizing key terms and concepts related to the life cycle and classification of stars in IGCSE Physics.

Nebula

A giant interstellar cloud of gas and dust where stars form.

Protostar

A hot ball of gas formed from the material of a nebula due to gravitational contraction.

Main Sequence Star

A star that is in equilibrium and undergoing nuclear fusion in its core.

Red Giant

A phase in a star's evolution when it expands and cools after exhausting its hydrogen.

White Dwarf

A small, dense star that remains after a low-mass star has exhausted its nuclear fuel.

Red Supergiant

A phase in a high-mass star's evolution characterized by a rapid expansion after hydrogen exhaustion.

Supernova

A gigantic explosion that occurs when a high-mass star collapses at the end of its life.

Neutron Star

A dense remnant of a supernova composed mostly of neutrons.

Black Hole

An extremely dense celestial object from which no light can escape, formed from the collapse of a massive star.

Luminosity

The total amount of light energy emitted by a star.

Apparent Magnitude

The brightness of a star as seen from Earth, affected by its distance and luminosity.

Absolute Magnitude

The brightness of a star as it would appear at a standard distance of 10 parsecs.

Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

A graph that plots stars according to their luminosity and surface temperature.

Main Sequence

A band on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram where most stars, including the Sun, are found.

Massive Star

A star with greater mass than the Sun which undergoes different evolutionary processes.