When a Red Super Giant star reaches the end of its life, it explodes. What is this very large explosion
called? What are the two possible outcomes of that explosion?
When is a star a Main Sequence Star?
What happens to the largest of all stars at the end of their life?
How does the Sun compare to Very Massive Stars in temperature, brightness, and lifespan?
BLACK HOLES
Where can we expect to find Super Massive Black Holes?
How many Solar Masses is the approximate minimum for a black hole to form from?
Approximately how many solar masses is a Super Massive Black Hole?
Why are black holes black? (why can’t we see anything inside the black hole)
What created the first gravitational waves humans ever detected?
If black holes are “invisible”, how can we find them?

Question

UpStudy AI · Accepted Answer

**1. When a Red Super Giant star reaches the end of its life, it explodes. What is this very large explosion called?**  
A Red Super Giant star explodes in a very energetic event called a **supernova**.

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**2. What are the two possible outcomes of that explosion?**  
After the explosion (supernova), the core of the star can end up as either:  
- A **neutron star**, if the remaining core mass is below a certain threshold.  
- A **black hole**, if the core mass is large enough to undergo further collapse.

---

**3. When is a star a Main Sequence Star?**  
A star is considered a **Main Sequence Star** when it is fusing hydrogen into helium in its core. This stage is marked by a stable balance between the gravitational forces pulling inward and the thermal pressure from nuclear fusion pushing outward. While on the Main Sequence, the star's properties (such as temperature, brightness, and radius) follow a well-defined correlation known as the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.

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**4. What happens to the largest of all stars at the end of their life?**  
The largest stars, when they reach the end of their lives, typically undergo a catastrophic core collapse. Due to their immense mass, the collapse is so extreme that after a supernova explosion the core collapses directly into a **black hole**. In some cases, the explosion might be extremely energetic (a hypernova), but the end result for the core of the largest stars is almost always the formation of a black hole.

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**5. How does the Sun compare to Very Massive Stars in temperature, brightness, and lifespan?**  
- **Temperature and Brightness:**  
  Very Massive Stars have significantly higher surface temperatures and are far more luminous (brighter) than the Sun.  
- **Lifespan:**  
  Because very massive stars burn their nuclear fuel at a much faster rate, they have **shorter lifespans**. The Sun, on the other hand, burns its fuel more slowly and has a much longer lifespan compared to very massive stars.

---

**BLACK HOLES**

**6. Where can we expect to find Super Massive Black Holes?**  
Super Massive Black Holes are typically found at the **centers of galaxies**.

---

**7. How many Solar Masses is the approximate minimum for a black hole to form from?**  
For a stellar remnant to collapse into a black hole, its mass needs to be above the limit at which neutron degeneracy pressure can no longer support it. This typical threshold is approximately  
$$
\sim 3 \, M_\odot
$$
where $$ M_\odot $$ represents one Solar Mass.

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**8. Approximately how many solar masses is a Super Massive Black Hole?**  
Super Massive Black Holes range from about a few million to several billion Solar Masses. A common figure often cited is on the order of  
$$
10^6 \, \text{to} \, 10^9 \, M_\odot
$$
depending on the galaxy.

---

**9. Why are black holes black? (Why can't we see anything inside the black hole)**  
Black holes are black because their gravitational pull is so **extremely strong** that nothing—not even light—can escape from within a certain boundary known as the **event horizon**. Since light cannot exit, we cannot see anything inside a black hole.

---

**10. What created the first gravitational waves humans ever detected?**  
The first gravitational waves detected by humans were produced by the **merger of a binary pair of black holes**. The inspiral and collision of these massive objects created ripples in spacetime, which were observed as gravitational waves.

---

**11. If black holes are "invisible", how can we find them?**  
Even though black holes do not emit light, they can be detected through several methods:  
- **Gravitational Effects:** Observing the motion of nearby stars and gas that respond to the gravitational pull of the black hole.  
- **Accretion Disks:** Material falling into a black hole heats up and emits radiation before crossing the event horizon, which can be detected.  
- **Gravitational Waves:** Mergers of black holes produce gravitational waves that can be detected with specialized observatories (such as LIGO and Virgo).

**1. Explosion of a Red Super Giant Star:** When a Red Super Giant star ends its life, it undergoes a **supernova**, a very large explosion. **2. Outcomes of the Explosion:** After a supernova, the star's core can become either a **neutron star** or a **black hole**, depending on its mass. **3. Main Sequence Star:** A star is a **Main Sequence Star** when it fuses hydrogen into helium in its core, maintaining a stable balance between gravity and thermal pressure. **4. End of Largest Stars' Lives:** The largest stars end their lives by collapsing into a **black hole** after a supernova explosion. **5. Comparison with the Sun:** - **Temperature and Brightness:** Very massive stars are hotter and much brighter than the Sun. - **Lifespan:** Very massive stars have shorter lifespans compared to the Sun. --- **BLACK HOLES** **6. Location of Super Massive Black Holes:** Super Massive Black Holes are found at the **centers of galaxies**. **7. Minimum Mass for Black Hole Formation:** A black hole forms when a star's mass exceeds about **3 Solar Masses**. **8. Mass of Super Massive Black Holes:** They range from **a few million to several billion Solar Masses**. **9. Why Black Holes Are Black:** Black holes are black because their gravity is so strong that nothing, including light, can escape from within the **event horizon**, making them invisible. **10. First Detected Gravitational Waves:** The first gravitational waves detected were produced by the **merger of two black holes**. **11. Detecting Black Holes:** Even though black holes are invisible, they can be detected by observing their **gravitational effects on nearby stars and gas**, the **radiation from accretion disks**, and **gravitational waves** produced by their mergers.

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