What maintains the long-term stability of a star while it is on the main sequence?
Answer
The balance between outward fusion pressure and inward gravitational crush
Stability is achieved when the outward pressure generated by the energy released during fusion perfectly balances the inward compression caused by the star's own gravity.
#Videos
Brian Cox Answers How Stars Burn in Space | This Morning - YouTube
Ask John: How do stars burn? - YouTube
Related Questions
What is the fundamental mechanism that allows stars to generate light and heat?What reactant is absolutely required for terrestrial burning processes like a candle flame?What physical process describes the creation of heavier helium nuclei from hydrogen nuclei in a star's core?What principle explains how the slight mass difference during fusion becomes the star's energy output?What state of matter characterizes the solar core where fusion occurs?What temperature must the core of a star like our Sun reach to initiate hydrogen fusion?What inward force, generated by the star's mass, helps force hydrogen nuclei close enough for fusion?What maintains the long-term stability of a star while it is on the main sequence?If the Sun were a chemical fire, why would it cease shining in a vacuum?What is the estimated travel time for a photon created in the Sun's core to reach the visible surface?