Life Cycle of Stars - GCSE Physics

A star is formed from massive clouds of dust and gas in space, also known as a nebula. Gravity begins to pull the dust and gas together. Under high temperature and pressure, hydrogen nuclei fuse together to make helium, forming a protostar. During this stable phase of a star's life cycle, the force of gravity holding the star together is balanced by high pressure. For a small star similar to the size of our Sun, it begins to use up the hydrogen in the fusion progress. When this happens, the core of the star will start to shrink and heat up, starting a new series of reactions around the core. This causes the outer part of the star to swell up. It becomes a red giant. When all the nuclear reactions are over, the red giant begins to contract under the pull of gravity. The core will collapse and the star becomes a white dwarf.

A more massive star compared to our Sun follows a different life cycle. After the stable period, it becomes a red supergiant. Once the reactions finish, the core will collapse suddenly, causing a gigantic explosion called a supernova. The center of the supernova leaves behind a dense neutron star. The neutron star continues to collapse under the force of gravity until it forms a black hole.
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