What causes hydrostatic equilibrium in a star?

A star’s life is a constant struggle against the force of gravity. Gravity constantly works to try and cause the star to collapse. The star’s core, however is very hot which creates pressure within the gas. This pressure counteracts the force of gravity, putting the star into what is called hydrostatic equilibrium.

What happens when a star is in hydrostatic equilibrium?

A star is in hydrostatic equilibrium when the outward push of pressure due to core burning is exactly in balance with the inward pull of gravity. When the hydrogen in a star’s core has been used up, burning ceases, and gravity and pressure are no longer in balance. This causes the star to undergo significant changes.

What will happen if a star is not in hydrostatic equilibrium?

Ask class: what would happen if an object were dramatically out of hydrostatic equilibrium? It would then evolve dynamically. If gravity is unopposed, then the object will collapse or explode, on roughly a free-fall time scale.

What happens after a supernova?

The outer layers of the star are propelled into space by the expanding shock wave creating a supernova remnant, a type of nebula. This material is now available to be recycled into another star, planet, or possibly eventually a life form billions of years down the road.

Why would the size of a star affect its luminosity?

As the size of a star increases, luminosity increases. If you think about it, a larger star has more surface area. That increased surface area allows more light and energy to be given off. Temperature also affects a star’s luminosity.

What are the two forces responsible for hydrostatic equilibrium of a star choose the two that apply?

For the majority of the life of a star, the gravitational force (due to the mass of the star) and the gas pressure (due to energy generation in the core of the star) balance, and the star is said to be in ‘hydrostatic equilibrium’.

What causes a supernova?

When the pressure drops low enough in a massive star, gravity suddenly takes over and the star collapses in just seconds. This collapse produces the explosion we call a supernova. Supernovae are so powerful they create new atomic nuclei.

What causes supernova explosions?

When the pressure drops low enough in a massive star, gravity suddenly takes over and the star collapses in just seconds. This collapse produces the explosion we call a supernova. When stars are especially large, the core collapses into a black hole. Otherwise, the core becomes an ultra-dense neutron star.

What factor directly affects the luminosity of a star?

What are the two factors that affect luminosity of a star?

The apparent brightness of a star depends on both its luminosity and its distance from Earth. Thus, the determination of apparent brightness and measurement of the distance to a star provide enough information to calculate its luminosity.

What force is opposing gravity and keeping the Sun in hydrostatic equilibrium quizlet?

Within the Sun, therefore, pressure creates an outward force, from the high-pressure core to the low-pressure surface. This is in contrast to gravity, which creates an inward force. When the force due to pressure exactly balances the force due to gravity, a system is in hydrostatic equilibrium.

What is the effect of hydrostatic equilibrium on a star?

Hydrostatic equilibrium has the fortunate effect that it tends to make stars stable. Should a star’s core be compressed, the compression causes nuclear burning to increase, which generates more heat, which forces up the pressure and makes the star expand. It goes back to equilibrium.

What happens to the left-over material from a supernova?

The material spews off into interstellar space. About 75\% of the mass of the star is ejected into space in the supernova. The fate of the left-over core depends on its mass. If the left-over core is about 1.4 to 5 times the mass of our Sun, it will collapse into a neutron star.

What would happen if energy was not radiated away from a star?

If the energy were not radiated away, the balance would be upset and the star would grow larger or explode. Fusion in the core generates huge amounts of energy which must be radiated away. Nice work! You just studied 49 terms! Now up your study game with Learn mode. What is hydrostatic equilibrium in a star?

What happens when a white dwarf becomes a supernova?

Enough material is drawn onto a white dwarf to increase its mass to the point of collapse, and all of its material fuses at once. Our Sun will likely die as a Type I supernova in about five billion years. A star system can become a Type I supernova several times. Gold is rare since the only time it can be formed is during a supernova.