A museum exhibition is being prepared about the evolution of a star similar in mass to the Sun. Three display panels contain observations but no labels.
| Panel | Observations |
|---|---|
| A | A cold, diffuse cloud of dust and hydrogen gas. No fusion is taking place. |
| B | A star of approximately constant size. Hydrogen fusion is taking place in its core. |
| C | A small, hot, very dense remnant. No fusion is taking place, but it emits radiation. |
Name the stage in the life of the star shown in each panel.
Explain why the star in panel B stays approximately the same size.
Explain what would happen to the core of the star in panel B if fusion in its core slowed down.
State why the object in panel C can emit radiation even though no fusion is taking place.
75 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Physics 7.3 Stars, covering 7.3.1 Evolution of stars similar to the Sun, 7.3.2 Evolution of massive stars, and 7.3.3 Observing the Universe. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.