• For the elements lighter • This not happen to iron

than iron, fusion two nuclei (rather than

smaller elements into releasing energy, the fuse
larger element emit of iron nuclei requires an
energy. input of energy.
• Missing mass – released
• Therefore, elements
as energy.
lighter than and including
• Therefore, fusion of iron can be produced in a
elements lighter than massive star, but no
iron releases energy. elements heavier than iron
are produced.
collapses, the
fragments
contract to form
stellar called
PROTOSTAR
 • Gravity squeezes
the star to a point
that the helium and
hydrogen burning
occur.
• Helium is converted
carbon
• Hydrogen is
IN THE SHELL
converted to helium SURROUNDING THE
RED GIANT
 the core until the
star explodes and
releases a large
amount of energy.

The star
explosion is
called
THE DISCOVERY OF THE SUPPORT THE STAR
MEDIUM OF GAS AND FORMATION THEORY
DUST DURING THE ( A CRUCIAL EVIDENCE)
EARLY PART OF THE 20TH
CENTURY

interstellar medium (ISM) is the

matter that exists in the space
between the star systems in a galaxy.
This matter includes gas in ionic,
atomic, and molecular form, as well
as dust and cosmic rays.
 (IR) ASTRONOMERS
A FORM OF ENERGY MEASURE THE IR
DETECTED FROM RELEASED BY A
DIFFERENT STAGES OF PROTOSTAR AND
STAR FORMATION. COMPARE IT TO THE
IR FROM A NEARBY
AREA WITH ZERO
EXTINCTION.
 (IN
EXTINCTION ASTRONOMY)
THE ABSORPTION AND SCATTERING OF
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
core
LOW MASS STAR RATE OF
OF HELIUM
IN CORE FUSION
CONVERTE >DECREASES
CARBON FUSION
D INTO > OUTER
NOT OCCURMATERIAL
CARBON WILL BLOWN OFF IN
THE SPACE WHITE DWARF
MASSIVE
A THE ONLY THING STAR
INERT CARBON CORE
HASIS ENOUGH
THAT REMAINS THE HOT AND

MASS SUCH THAT TEMPERATURE

AND PRESSURE INCREASE TO A
POINT WHERE CARBON FUSION
HEAVIER ELEMENTS ARE OCCUR. FUSE IN
THE CORE AND IN THE SHELLS
STAR AROUND THE CORE.
CARBON - OXYGEN
OXYGEN - NEON
NEON - MAGNESIUM
MAGNESIUM - SILIC
SILICON - IRON

THE STAR
BECOMES A
MULTIPLE-
SHELL
RED GIANT
MASSIVE STAR
LOW-MASS
STAR

RED SUPER GIANT

RED GIANT
BORN

LIVE

DIE
 Stellar nucleosynthesis – the process by
which elements are formed within the
stars.
Protostar – a stellar core formed when
the fragments of a collapsed molecular
cloud contract
Main Sequence Star – formed when
gravitational equilibrium is reached during the
hydrogen fusion in a protostar.
Red Giant – a star that has use up its hydrogen
supply in the core and switches into the
thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen in the shell
surrounding the core.
 MULTIPLE-SHELL RED GIANT
WHEN THE ELEMENTS OXYGEN,
NEON, MAGNESIUM, SILICON, AND
IRON ARE FORMED IN ITS CORE
TOGETHER WITH CARBON,
THE STAR FORMATION
HELIUM THEORY
AND HYDROGEN.
PROPOSES THAT STARS FORM
DUE TO THE COLLAPSE OF THE
DENSE REGIONS OF A
MOLECULAR CLOUD.
EVIDENCE OF STAR FORMATION
COMES FROM STUDYING IR
EMISSIONS FROM THE DIFFERENT
STAGES OF STAR EVOLUTIONS