P16.

2
Student activity
Name....................................................................... Class................... Date......................

The life history of a star

Specification references:
 P8.1.2
 MS 1a, 1b
 WS 1.2, 3.5, 4.1

Aims
In this activity, you will name and explain the stages in the life of star and
interpret real data collected about stars in our Solar System.

Learning outcomes
After completing this worksheet, you should be able to:
 describe the stages in the life cycle of a star
 compare the lifecycle of stars that are a similar size to the Sun and have a larger mass than the Sun
 explain how elements ‘lighter’ and ‘heavier’ than iron are formed.

Task
Complete a diagram of the life cycle of a star, you can use the diagram on the
page 4 of this worksheet as a template or you could use diagrams or small
pictures downloaded from the internet to represent the different stages.
Make sure you include information for stars of a similar or smaller size than our
Sun and for those bigger than the Sun. Include descriptions of what is happening
at each stage.

Questions
1 How is a star formed?

(4 marks)

2 When a star is in its main sequence, what forces are acting and why is the star
stable?

© Oxford University Press 2017 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

This resource sheet may have been changed from the original. 1
 P16.2
Student activity
Name....................................................................... Class................... Date......................

(2 marks)
3 Explain how light and heavy elements are present in the planets in our Solar
System.

(2 marks)

4 During fusion, four hydrogen nuclei fuse to form one helium nucleus and there is a
loss of mass of 0.7%. Fusion only takes place if the hydrogen nuclei are moving
very fast. The energy released can be calculated using Einstein’s famous equation:

E  mc2 where c is the speed of light  3  108 m/s and m is the loss in mass.

Use this equation to calculate the energy released when 2 g of hydrogen fuses to
form Helium.

(3 marks)

5 Use the information in the table below to answer the following questions.

Mass of star Lifetime of star Surface

(Sun  1) (millions of years) Temperature (K)
A 0.5 200,000 4000
B 1 10,000 6000
C 3 500 11000
D 15 15 30000

a Describe and explain the relationship between the lifetime of a star and its
mass, remembering that a star with a higher surface temperature also has
a higher core temperature and pressure

(2 marks)
b What is most likely to happen to the star B at the end of its lifetime?

(1 mark)

© Oxford University Press 2017 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

This resource sheet may have been changed from the original. 2
 P16.2
Student activity
Name....................................................................... Class................... Date......................

c What is most likely to happen to the star C at the end of its lifetime?

(1 mark)

d What is most likely to happen to the star D at the end of its lifetime?

(1 mark)

6 What is a black hole?

(2 marks)

Student follow-up
1 Use the internet to find out the mass of the Sun. Research and find out the
names of three stars that are:
a the same size as the Sun

(2 marks)

b larger than the Sun

(2 marks)

c much larger than the Sun

(2 marks)

© Oxford University Press 2017 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

This resource sheet may have been changed from the original. 3
 P16.2
Student activity
Name....................................................................... Class................... Date......................

Next find out the surface temperature and colour of the stars you have
researched. Specify the next stages in the life of each type of star.

a the same size as the Sun

(1 mark)

b larger than the Sun

(1 mark)

c much larger than the Sun

(1 mark)

2 Use the internet to find three planetary nebula where stars are born. Can you
find out which planetary nebula is visible to the naked eye in the winter months
in the Northern hemisphere.

(3 marks)

© Oxford University Press 2017 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

This resource sheet may have been changed from the original. 4
 P16.2
Student activity
Name....................................................................... Class................... Date......................

© Oxford University Press 2017 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

This resource sheet may have been changed from the original. 5