The Naked Scientists
  • Login
  • Register
  • Podcasts
      • The Naked Scientists
      • eLife
      • Naked Genetics
      • Naked Astronomy
      • In short
      • Naked Neuroscience
      • Ask! The Naked Scientists
      • Question of the Week
      • Archive
      • Video
      • SUBSCRIBE to our Podcasts
  • Articles
      • Science News
      • Features
      • Interviews
      • Answers to Science Questions
  • Get Naked
      • Donate
      • Do an Experiment
      • Science Forum
      • Ask a Question
  • About
      • Meet the team
      • Our Sponsors
      • Site Map
      • Contact us

User menu

  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Help
  • Search
  • Tags
  • Member Map
  • Recent Topics
  • Login
  • Register
  1. Naked Science Forum
  2. Non Life Sciences
  3. Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology
  4. Is there a continuous supply of new stars?
« previous next »
  • Print
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Is there a continuous supply of new stars?

  • 3 Replies
  • 1502 Views
  • 4 Tags

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline katieHaylor (OP)

  • Naked Scientist Producer
  • Global Moderator
  • Sr. Member
  • ********
  • 469
  • Activity:
    13.5%
  • Thanked: 1 times
  • Naked Science Forum Newbie
    • View Profile
    • The Naked Scientists
Is there a continuous supply of new stars?
« on: 15/12/2017 10:05:32 »
Sadiq asks:

Since lighter elements are transforming into heavier elements in stars, is it true to predict that one day there will be no new born star?

What do you think?
Logged
 



Offline chiralSPO

  • Global Moderator
  • Naked Science Forum King!
  • ********
  • 3453
  • Activity:
    6%
  • Thanked: 434 times
    • View Profile
Re: Is there a continuous supply of new stars?
« Reply #1 on: 15/12/2017 14:48:41 »
Based on our current understanding of physics and cosmology, yes, it does appear that there will come a time that no stars form any more, and ultimately the whole universe will be cold and dark. (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_death_of_the_universe ).

But it is difficult to estimate when that might happen, other than: a REALLY long time from now. The roughly 1.4e10 years since the big bang represent a very tiny fraction of a percent of the expected life of the universe.

However, it is also important to stress that we really don't have a good idea what kind of physics will dominate on these sorts of time and length scales. Given how much our understanding of cosmology has changed over the last 200 years, I think it is fully reasonable to expect that this answer will change drastically over the next 200 years. (I still don't think it will be any time soon)
Logged
 

Offline chiralSPO

  • Global Moderator
  • Naked Science Forum King!
  • ********
  • 3453
  • Activity:
    6%
  • Thanked: 434 times
    • View Profile
Re: Is there a continuous supply of new stars?
« Reply #2 on: 15/12/2017 15:15:21 »
And specifically regarding the supply of hydrogen and helium:

Supposedly the primordial elements were essentially only hydrogen and helium (92% of atoms were hydrogen, and 75% of mass was hydrogen). While stars have been consuming these light elements, current estimates of the composition of the universe still have >90% of atoms being hydrogen. If the time since the big bang represents a 2% decrease in hydrogen abundance, and we take this rate as constant (probably a bad assumption, see below), then we would expect the universe to drop below 25% hydrogen (atom count) in 455 billion years.

I don't know off hand whether the rate of hydrogen consumption would increase or decrease over time. As the concentration of C, N and O increases we can expect that hydrogen fusion will increase in rate because these atoms catalyze hydrogen fusion (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNO_cycle ) But we also have to take into account that the matter in the cosmos is getting more dispersed due to cosmic expansion, which may eventually slow the rate at which stars form. However, as the composition of the cosmos become more diverse, star formation will also become favored, because the different particles can radiate light energy across a wider range of frequencies, while still maintaining thermal equilibrium with each other (radiative cooling of hydrogen clouds is very inefficient at temperatures below the lowest energy emission, but heavier elements have lower energy emissions; see http://www.star.ucl.ac.uk/~tgreve/lectures/lecture-5.pdf )
Logged
 

Online evan_au

  • Global Moderator
  • Naked Science Forum GOD!
  • ********
  • 9168
  • Activity:
    80%
  • Thanked: 908 times
    • View Profile
Re: Is there a continuous supply of new stars?
« Reply #3 on: 16/12/2017 06:39:33 »
There are large clouds of hydrogen in intergalactic space that fall like rain on galaxies, fuelling new star formation.

Dramatic events like galaxy collisions trigger a burst of new stars, but the chaotic process of merging their black holes will see many stars consumed by the new, larger, central black hole.

Red dwarf stars are thought to last for a trillion years, not just billions like our Sun.
Logged
 



  • Print
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »
Tags: astronomy  / stars  / space  / elements 
 

Similar topics (5)

Are black holes black stars or holes?

Started by thedocBoard Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology

Replies: 0
Views: 2617
Last post 02/07/2014 18:30:01
by thedoc
Are black holes stars or holes?

Started by thedocBoard Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology

Replies: 10
Views: 5550
Last post 09/11/2018 16:16:26
by Professor Mega-Mind
Can Dark Matter Make Dark Stars?

Started by Fluid_thinkerBoard Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology

Replies: 25
Views: 13137
Last post 02/12/2018 18:01:04
by Kryptid
What is the average spacing between the stars in the average galatic arm?

Started by Richard BeckBoard Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology

Replies: 0
Views: 2522
Last post 27/11/2010 12:30:11
by Richard Beck
If star formation creates planets, why do so few stars have planets ?

Started by PetrochemicalsBoard Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology

Replies: 8
Views: 2718
Last post 21/09/2017 02:42:34
by Petrochemicals
There was an error while thanking
Thanking...
  • SMF 2.0.15 | SMF © 2017, Simple Machines
    Privacy Policy
    SMFAds for Free Forums
  • Naked Science Forum ©

Page created in 0.111 seconds with 42 queries.

  • Podcasts
  • Articles
  • Get Naked
  • About
  • Contact us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe to newsletter
  • We love feedback

Follow us

cambridge_logo_footer.png

©The Naked Scientists® 2000–2017 | The Naked Scientists® and Naked Science® are registered trademarks created by Dr Chris Smith. Information presented on this website is the opinion of the individual contributors and does not reflect the general views of the administrators, editors, moderators, sponsors, Cambridge University or the public at large.