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Life cycle of stars: Edexcel GCSE Physics questions

Every Edexcel GCSE Physics exam question on Life cycle of stars (specification points 7.16–7.19), 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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1,554 questions

  1. Q10(a)(i)

    June 2025 · Paper 1 Higher

    1 markLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1 Higher, question 10(a)(i): State which star in the table in Figure 16 is most likely to become a Black Hole. (1)

  2. Q10(a)(ii)

    June 2025 · Paper 1 Higher

    1 markLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1 Higher, question 10(a)(ii): Using data from the table in Figure 16, give a reason for your answer to part (i). (1)

  3. Q3(a)

    June 2024 · Paper 1 Foundation

    1 markLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 1 Foundation, question 3(a): Outward forces are a result of nuclear fusion in the Sun. State what causes the inward forces. (1)

  4. Q3(b)(i)

    June 2024 · Paper 1 Foundation

    2 marksLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 1 Foundation, question 3(b)(i): In the Sun, these forces have been balanced for 46 % of this time. Calculate for how many billions of years these forces have been balanced in the Sun. (2)  ti

  5. Q3(b)(ii)

    June 2024 · Paper 1 Foundation

    2 marksLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 1 Foundation, question 3(b)(ii): Describe what will happen to the Sun when the inward and outward forces become unbalanced. (2)

  6. Q7(b)

    June 2024 · Paper 1 Foundation

    2 marksLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 1 Foundation, question 7(b): The Hubble Space Telescope is an artificial satellite in orbit about 500 km above the Earth’s surface. This telescope is used to observe the light from very dis

  7. Q4(d)(i)

    June 2023 · Paper 1 Higher

    1 markLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 1 Higher, question 4(d)(i): State what causes the nebula to collapse. (1)

  8. Q4(d)(ii)

    June 2023 · Paper 1 Higher

    3 marksLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 1 Higher, question 4(d)(ii): Explain why the nebula stops collapsing as it becomes a main sequence star. (3)

  9. Q10(d)(i)

    June 2023 · Paper 1 Foundation

    1 markLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 1 Foundation, question 10(d)(i): State what causes the nebula to collapse. (1)

  10. Q10(d)(ii)

    June 2023 · Paper 1 Foundation

    3 marksLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 1 Foundation, question 10(d)(ii): Explain why the nebula stops collapsing as it becomes a main sequence star. (3)

  11. Q6(c)

    June 2022 · Paper 1 Higher

    2 marksLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1 Higher, question 6(c): Observations of the Universe can be made using telescopes on Earth. Explain why some telescopes are located on satellites that orbit the Earth. (2)

  12. Q5(a)(i)

    June 2022 · Paper 1 Foundation

    1 markLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1 Foundation, question 5(a)(i): Stars of similar mass to our Sun were formed from a cloud of gas and dust called a . (1)

  13. Q5(a)(ii)

    June 2022 · Paper 1 Foundation

    1 markLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1 Foundation, question 5(a)(ii): Our Sun is a star. (1)

  14. Q5(b)(i)

    June 2022 · Paper 1 Foundation

    1 markLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1 Foundation, question 5(b)(i): Which will be the next stage in the evolution of our Sun? (1) A red dwarf B red giant C white dwarf D white giant

  15. Q5(b)(ii)

    June 2022 · Paper 1 Foundation

    1 markLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1 Foundation, question 5(b)(ii): The core of a star with a much bigger mass than our Sun is most likely to end as a (1) A white dwarf B red giant C protostar D black hole

  16. Q4(a)

    November 2020 · Paper 1 Higher

    2 marksLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2020 Paper 1 Higher, question 4(a): The Sun has a mass of 2.0 × 1030 kg. A white dwarf has a mass of 3.4 × 1029 kg. Calculate the value of mass of this white dwarf mass of the Sun (2) value =

  17. Q4(b)(i)

    November 2020 · Paper 1 Higher

    1 markLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2020 Paper 1 Higher, question 4(b)(i): Estimate the temperature of the Sun. (1) temperature of the Sun = K

  18. Q4(b)(ii)

    November 2020 · Paper 1 Higher

    1 markLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2020 Paper 1 Higher, question 4(b)(ii): State how the brightness of a main sequence star changes with its temperature. (1)

  19. Q4(b)(iii)

    November 2020 · Paper 1 Higher

    1 markLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2020 Paper 1 Higher, question 4(b)(iii): State how the brightness of a main sequence star changes with its mass. (1)

  20. Q4(d)

    November 2020 · Paper 1 Higher

    3 marksLife cycle of stars
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2020 Paper 1 Higher, question 4(d): A nebula may evolve into a main sequence star, such as the Sun. Explain how a nebula may evolve into a main sequence star. (3)
All 28 questions on Life cycle of stars, as a list
  1. June 2025, Paper 1 Higher, Q10(a)(i) (1 mark): State which star in the table in Figure 16 is most likely to become a Black Hole. (1)
  2. June 2025, Paper 1 Higher, Q10(a)(ii) (1 mark): Using data from the table in Figure 16, give a reason for your answer to part (i). (1)
  3. June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q3(a) (1 mark): Outward forces are a result of nuclear fusion in the Sun. State what causes the inward forces. (1)
  4. June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q3(b)(i) (2 marks): In the Sun, these forces have been balanced for 46 % of this time. Calculate for how many billions of years these forces have been balanced in the Sun. (2)  ti
  5. June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q3(b)(ii) (2 marks): Describe what will happen to the Sun when the inward and outward forces become unbalanced. (2)
  6. June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q7(b) (2 marks): The Hubble Space Telescope is an artificial satellite in orbit about 500 km above the Earth’s surface. This telescope is used to observe the light from very dis
  7. June 2023, Paper 1 Higher, Q4(d)(i) (1 mark): State what causes the nebula to collapse. (1)
  8. June 2023, Paper 1 Higher, Q4(d)(ii) (3 marks): Explain why the nebula stops collapsing as it becomes a main sequence star. (3)
  9. June 2023, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10(d)(i) (1 mark): State what causes the nebula to collapse. (1)
  10. June 2023, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10(d)(ii) (3 marks): Explain why the nebula stops collapsing as it becomes a main sequence star. (3)
  11. June 2022, Paper 1 Higher, Q6(c) (2 marks): Observations of the Universe can be made using telescopes on Earth. Explain why some telescopes are located on satellites that orbit the Earth. (2)
  12. June 2022, Paper 1 Foundation, Q5(a)(i) (1 mark): Stars of similar mass to our Sun were formed from a cloud of gas and dust called a . (1)
  13. June 2022, Paper 1 Foundation, Q5(a)(ii) (1 mark): Our Sun is a star. (1)
  14. June 2022, Paper 1 Foundation, Q5(b)(i) (1 mark): Which will be the next stage in the evolution of our Sun? (1) A red dwarf B red giant C white dwarf D white giant
  15. June 2022, Paper 1 Foundation, Q5(b)(ii) (1 mark): The core of a star with a much bigger mass than our Sun is most likely to end as a (1) A white dwarf B red giant C protostar D black hole
  16. November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q4(a) (2 marks): The Sun has a mass of 2.0 × 1030 kg. A white dwarf has a mass of 3.4 × 1029 kg. Calculate the value of mass of this white dwarf mass of the Sun (2) value =
  17. November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q4(b)(i) (1 mark): Estimate the temperature of the Sun. (1) temperature of the Sun = K
  18. November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q4(b)(ii) (1 mark): State how the brightness of a main sequence star changes with its temperature. (1)
  19. November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q4(b)(iii) (1 mark): State how the brightness of a main sequence star changes with its mass. (1)
  20. November 2020, Paper 1 Higher, Q4(d) (3 marks): A nebula may evolve into a main sequence star, such as the Sun. Explain how a nebula may evolve into a main sequence star. (3)
  21. November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10(a) (2 marks): The Sun has a mass of 2.0 × 1030 kg. A white dwarf has a mass of 3.4 × 1029 kg. Calculate the value of mass of this white dwarf mass of the Sun (2) value =
  22. November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10(b)(i) (1 mark): Estimate the temperature of the Sun. (1) temperature of the Sun = K
  23. November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10(b)(ii) (1 mark): State how the brightness of a main sequence star changes with its temperature. (1)
  24. November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10(b)(iii) (1 mark): State how the brightness of a main sequence star changes with its mass. (1)
  25. November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10(d) (3 marks): A nebula may evolve into a main sequence star, such as the Sun. Explain how a nebula may evolve into a main sequence star. (3)
  26. June 2019, Paper 1 Higher, Q10(a)(i) (3 marks): Describe the process that then occurs to produce the conditions necessary for nuclear fusion in a new star. (3)
  27. June 2019, Paper 1 Higher, Q10(a)(ii) (2 marks): The energy, E, released in nuclear fusion is equivalent to loss in mass, m, according to the equation. E = mc2 where c is the velocity of light. c = 3.00 × 108
  28. June 2019, Paper 1 Higher, Q10(c) (2 marks): A star has evolved to become a neutron star. The mass, M, of the neutron star, of radius R, is given by π × × × 4 D R 3 M = where D is a constant 3 M = 4 × 1030

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