How many stars does one create and how many times can stars be

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In summary, the number of stars created depends on the nebula and the IMF, which predicts more low-mass stars than high-mass ones. As long as the interstellar medium continues to be enriched by dying stars, star formation can continue. However, processes like collisions and mergers can stop star formation by stripping galaxies of their gas. This results in galaxies that are "old, red, and dead."
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How many stars does one create and how many times can stars be recycled into more stars?
 
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decay33 said:
How many stars does one create

It depends on the nebula and on the masses of the stars that are produced. The stars in a new population usually end up following a statistical distribution of masses called the stellar initial mass function (IMF). I'd recommend looking it up. There are different proposed IMFs, but they all share the property that you get more low-mass stars than high-mass ones (i.e. high mass stars are rare). It's still unclear whether the IMF is universal or whether it differs from place to place. But either way, it's a statistical thing. Obviously a given individual nebula cannot produce any really high-mass stars if there isn't enough raw material present to produce even one (even if the IMF predicts there should be some number of them at that mass).

decay33 said:
and how many times can stars be recycled into more stars?

This is a complex topic. I think that as long as the interstellar medium (the gaseous matter in between the stars in a galaxy) continues to be enriched by new raw materials from dying stars, then star formation can continue. But I do know that there are processes that can stop star formation in galaxies (which is called "quenching"). In particular, tidal/gravitational interactions between galaxies (collisions, mergers etc) can strip the gas out of the galaxies involved and therefore remove all of the raw materials necessary for continued star formation. (Particularly if all of the high-mass, short-lived stars are gone, and all that remains are low mass, long-lived ones that are never going to go supernova and aren't going to end their lives for a very very long time, longer than the present age of the universe). Such galaxies are sometimes referred to as being, "old, red, and dead", and almost all elliptical galaxies are like this. They have all stars and no gas.
 

1. How do stars form?

Stars are formed from giant clouds of gas and dust, called nebulae. These clouds collapse under their own gravity, causing the material to heat up and form a dense core. As the core continues to collapse, the pressure and temperature increase, eventually reaching a point where nuclear fusion can begin and a star is born.

2. How many stars are in the universe?

It is estimated that there are around 100 billion stars in our own galaxy, the Milky Way. However, the observable universe is estimated to contain over 100 billion galaxies, meaning there could be trillions of stars in total.

3. Can stars die?

Yes, stars can die. Once a star exhausts its fuel, it will begin to cool and eventually collapse under its own gravity. Depending on the size of the star, it may become a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole.

4. How long do stars live?

The lifespan of a star depends on its size. Smaller stars, like red dwarfs, can live for trillions of years. Larger stars, like blue giants, have much shorter lifespans of only a few million years.

5. Can stars be created more than once?

Yes, stars can be created multiple times. When a star dies, it releases gas and dust back into space, which can then be used to form new stars. This process is ongoing in the universe, with stars being continuously created and destroyed.

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