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What Are Stars Made Of

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Format: Interactive (Online), Printable (PDF)
Grades: 5678
Subjects: scienceela
Standards: MS-ESS1-1
Languages: English, Spanish

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About this reader

science,ela

Written by Workybooks TeamPublished by Workybooks

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CONTENT PREVIEW

This image illustrates the principals of a technique called laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, which the Chemistry and Camera ChemCam instrument onboard NASA rover, Curiosity, will use on Mars. "Schematic of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy" / NASA (Public domain).

Stars are made mostly of hydrogen and helium, two simple gases. Scientists figured this out without ever visiting a star. They used a clever method called spectroscopy to study starlight from Earth. This technique reveals the exact elements inside distant stars.

Scientists pass starlight through a tool called a prism. The prism splits the light into a rainbow of colors called a spectrum. However, this rainbow is not complete. Dark lines appear in specific places across the colors. These lines are called absorption lines. Each element absorbs certain colors of light and creates its own unique pattern of dark lines.

Scientists compare the patterns in starlight to patterns made by known elements in laboratories. When the patterns match, they can identify which elements exist in the star. Evidence shows that hydrogen creates the strongest lines in most star spectra. Helium creates the second strongest set of lines. Other elements like carbon and oxygen appear in smaller amounts.

In 1868, scientists discovered helium by studying the Sun's spectrum during an eclipse. They found absorption lines that did not match any known element on Earth. Scientists named the new element helium after the Greek word for Sun. Twenty-seven years later, scientists found helium on Earth for the first time. This discovery showed how powerful spectroscopy can be for learning about the universe.

Understanding what stars are made of helps scientists explain how stars form and change over time. Stars create energy by fusing hydrogen into helium deep in their cores. This process powers all stars and produces the light we see. Scientists also use spectroscopy to study planets, galaxies, and other objects in space. The technique connects what we observe on Earth to the composition of the entire universe.

Interesting Fact: The Sun converts about 600 million tons of hydrogen into helium every second. Despite this huge amount, the Sun has enough hydrogen to keep shining for another 5 billion years.

What are stars mostly made of?

Hydrogen and heliumCarbon and oxygenIron and nickelNitrogen and argon

What tool do scientists use to split starlight into colors?

A telescopeA microscopeA prismA mirror

What are the dark lines in a star's spectrum called?

Reflection linesAbsorption linesEmission linesDiffraction lines

In the context of the passage, what does 'spectroscopy' mean?

The study of star temperaturesThe method of studying light by splitting it into colorsThe process of creating new elementsThe measurement of star distances

What does the word 'spectrum' refer to in this passage?

A type of telescopeA measurement of brightnessThe range of colors produced when light is splitThe surface of a star

How did scientists first discover helium?

By finding it in rocks on EarthBy studying the Sun's spectrum during an eclipseBy analyzing meteoritesBy creating it in a laboratory

Why do different elements create different patterns of dark lines?

Each element absorbs specific colors of lightEach element has a different temperatureEach element reflects different amounts of lightEach element is found in different types of stars

If scientists discovered a new pattern of absorption lines in a distant star that doesn't match any known element, what would this most likely suggest?

The star is too far away to study properlyThere might be an unknown element presentThe prism is not working correctlyThe star is made only of hydrogen

How could spectroscopy be useful for studying planets in other solar systems?

It could reveal what elements are in their atmospheresIt could measure how fast they orbitIt could determine their exact sizeIt could show their surface temperature only

True or False: Scientists must visit a star to determine what elements it contains.

TrueFalse

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This 400-500 word reading passage for grades 6-8 explains how scientists determined what stars are made of using spectroscopy. Students learn about the mechanism of splitting starlight through prisms to analyze the spectrum and identify elements based on absorption lines. The passage is aligned with NGSS MS-ESS1-1 and MS-ESS1.A standardsfocusing on Earth's place in the universe. It includes audio integration for enhanced accessibilityvocabulary development with 8-10 key science termsand real-world connections to astronomical discoveries. The content emphasizes scientific practices and evidence-based reasoninghelping students understand how astronomers can study distant objects without direct contact. Activities include comprehension questionswriting promptsand graphic organizers that reinforce understanding of this fundamental astronomical technique.