Monday, May 17, 2010

After the universe's supply of H is depleted, can stars still be born from the enriched interstellar medium?

The star-gas-star cycle will eventually - in around 200 billion years - deplete the universe's supply of primordial hydrogen, halting star birth. But is it conceivable that protostars may still be able to form from the enriched soup of heavy elements that will comprise the interstellar medium at this time?

After the universe's supply of H is depleted, can stars still be born from the enriched interstellar medium?
A star does not return all its gas to its interstellar medium, as it leaves behind a degenerate remnant (a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole, depending on its mass.) Although some of its mass is recycled, this only prolongs the lifetime of star formation by a small factor, and it is predicted that, even if recycling is taken into account, star formation in this galaxy will cease in at most 10^14 (100 trillion) years, leaving behind a galaxy composed of degenerate remnants and very thin gas which is too diffuse to form stars.
Reply:Where did you get this information from ? Stars are always reborn. There is a constant cycle. One a star uses up all of its fuel it either turns into a nova,supernova,pulsar,neutron star or a black hole. Black holes immense gravity pulls nearby stars into its event horizon and the come out to from new stars. I dont think hydrogen in the universe will be depleted in 200 billion years.


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