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Asked by lwebb to Adam, Geoff, Rob, Sheila, Suzie on 15 Mar 2011 in Categories: Space.
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Sheila Kanani answered on 15 Mar 2011:
Technically when all its fuel runs out so that it cant burn anything any more, thus it is unable to give off light. Normally that is when the hydrogen and helium run out. Small stars just sort of burn out but big stars go supernova 😀
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Adam Tuff answered on 15 Mar 2011:
Quite simply, it’s size! Strangely, bigger stars last a lot less time than small stars! This is because the pressure of the huge mass accelerates reactions in the star’s core, so it uses up fuel faster. You’ll be pleased to know our sun is quite small – it’s stil got about 5 billion years worth of fuel left!
Small stars expand once the hydrogen is used up, then they start using helium, once they have used that fuel, they shed off their outer layers and become a white dwarf star. Big stars (above about eight times the mass of our sun) can burn heavier elements. Once they do though, the collapse in on themselves because they are so massive, and cause a supernova, that leaves a very dense neutron star, of if its very massive, it produces a black hole.
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Suzie Sheehy answered on 15 Mar 2011:
How a star dies depends on the mass that it starts with. I can end as all sorts of things: white dwarfs, brown dwarfs, black holes etc…
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