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Author Question: What element is the fuel for main-sequence stars? What will be an ideal ... (Read 115 times)

NClaborn

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on: Jul 14, 2018
What element is the fuel for main-sequence stars?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Describe how main-sequence stars become giants.
 
  What will be an ideal response?


owenfalvey

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Reply #1 on: Jul 14, 2018
Answer to Question 1

Hydrogen.

Answer to Question 2

Once the usable hydrogen fuel is all burned up, there remains a helium-rich core. Once fusion is finished in the star's core, there is insufficient pressure to prevent collapse due to gravity, and the contraction generates a huge increase in internal temperature, triggering a higher level of hydrogen fusion in the star's shell. The outer shell expands from the heat of accelerated fusion, but this expansion simultaneously cools the star's surface, yielding a large, cool star.


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