Download Critical Thinking Questions: (work on these with a partner) Post

Critical Thinking Questions:
(work on these with a partner)
Post Activity/ Homework Questions:
1. Before a star forms
A. Where do you think the gas and dust originally came from?
1. During the formation of a Red Giant Star,
the core of a star pushes the outer shell back
2. Protostars & Main Sequence Stars
only enough to make the star larger.
A. Why is a protostar not classified as an actual star? & what needs
However, during the formation of a planetary
to occur for a star to transform from a Protostar to an actual star?
nebula, the outer shell of a star gets pushed
way out into the solar system. Explain how
and why you think this difference is caused.
In other words, explain how and why the
outer shell is pushed out a little bit vs. pushed B. Why is our sun classified as a “Main Sequence Star?”
out far away.
C. Describe what needs to happen to our sun for it to transform into a
Red Giant. & Will this happen to our Sun? When?
D. Complete the following Venn Diagram
2 facts
2 facts
2. Average sized stars like our Sun do not
explode as supernova, but super-massive stars What is Unique to
How are both
do. Both types of stars undergo nuclear
Protostars?
Similar?
fusion and have an outer shell influenced by
gravity. Explain why a star like our Sun will
not go supernova, but a super-massive star
will. Explain your answer describing the
processes of nuclear fusion and gravitational
force.
3. Stars do not have enough energy to fuse
elements heavier than iron. If this is true,
how and why are elements that are heavier
than iron created?
4. Once you figured out question #3, identify
how the following elements were created:
Element
How was it created
Oxygen
2 facts
What is Unique to
Actual Stars
3. Red Giant vs. White Dwarf Star Complete the Venn Diagram:
2 facts
2 facts
2 facts
What is Unique
How are both
What is Unique
during the formation formations Similar? during the formation
of Red Giants
of a White Dwarf
4. Planetary Nebula & New Stars
A. Use the Internet to research the reason why Planetary Nebula's a
are named so, even though they have nothing to do with planets
Gold
Carbon
Lead
B. Describe the process that would need to take place for a
planetary nebula to form a whole new star.
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Critical Thinking Questions:
(work on these with a partner)
1. During the formation of a Red Giant Star,
the core of a star pushes the outer shell back
only enough to make the star larger.
However, during the formation of a planetary
nebula, the outer shell of a star gets pushed
way out into the solar system. Explain how
and why you think this difference is caused. In
other words, explain how and why the outer
shell is pushed out a little bit vs. pushed out
far away.
During Red Giant formation, the core fuses a
new element (Helium) and the star restabilizes.
Once Helium runs out, fusion can't continue
in the core and gravity is the only force left.
The core can't balance the shell anymore and
kicks it away one last time.
2. Average sized stars like our Sun do not
explode as supernova, but super-massive stars
do. Both types of stars undergo nuclear fusion
and have an outer shell influenced by gravity.
Explain why a star like our Sun will not go
supernova, but a super-massive star will.
Explain your answer describing the processes
of nuclear fusion and gravitational force.
Because a super-massive star has more mass,
it has a larger fusion force and gravitational
force. When fusion stops in the core of a
super-massive star, the gravitational force is
so strong on the core, that the star explodes.
3. Stars do not have enough energy to fuse
elements heavier than iron. If this is true, how
and why are elements that are heavier than
iron created?
The explosion of a supernova gives off a lot
more energy to fuse heavier elements
4. Once you figured out question #3, identify
how the following elements were created:
Element
How was it created
Oxygen
Post Activity/ Homework Questions:
1. Before a star forms
A. Where do you think the gas and dust originally came from?
The Big Bang
2. Protostars & Main Sequence Stars
A. Why is a protostar not classified as an actual star? & what needs
to occur for a star to transform from a Protostar to an actual star?
A protostar is not an actual star because fusion doesn't occur.
To become an actual star, nuclear fusion needs to occur.
B. Why is our sun classified as a “Main Sequence Star?”
The force of fusion in the core is balanced with the shells gravity
C. Describe what needs to happen to our sun for it to transform into a
Red Giant. & Will this happen to our Sun? When?
Our sun needs to run out of hydrogen and begin fusing helium
This will happen to our sun in 5 billion years
D. Complete the following Venn Diagram
2 facts
2 facts
What is Unique to
How are both
Protostars?
Similar?
2 facts
What is Unique to
Actual Stars
Nuclear Fusion does
not occur
They both contain gas Nuclear fusion occurs
and dust
It does not create &
give off light
They both have a core It creates & gives off
and an outer shell
light
3. Red Giant vs. White Dwarf Star Complete the Venn Diagram:
2 facts
2 facts
2 facts
What is Unique
How are both
What is Unique
during the formation formations Similar? during the formation
of Red Giants
of a White Dwarf
The star begins by
Both formations
fusing hydrogen &
begin by fusing
ends by fusing helium something.
The outer shell
remains held to the
star
The star begins by
fusing helium & ends
by not fusing anything
at all.
Both involve the core
pushing the outer
The outer shell doesn't
shell of the star
remain held to the star
4. Planetary Nebula & New Stars
A. Use the Internet to research the reason why Planetary Nebula's a
are named so, even though they have nothing to do with planets
Gold
Carbon
Lead
B. Describe the process that would need to take place for a
planetary nebula to form a whole new star.