Question 1

The diagram below shows a light curve from a supernova. How many days after maximum light did it take for the supernova to decrease in brightness by a factor of 100?

Accepted Answer

A)  less than 50 
B)  50 
C)  150 
D)  250 
E)  more than 250 
A)  less than 50 
B)  50 
C)  150 
D)  250 
E)  more than 250

Question 2

What is the difference between a planetary nebula and a supernova remnant?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the difference between a planetary...

Question 3

The triple-alpha process

Accepted Answer

A)  controls the pulsations in Cepheid variable stars. 
B)  is the nuclear fusion of hydrogen to helium in massive stars. 
C)  is the process that produces the neutrinos we receive from the sun. 
D)  requires a temperature of about 5,000,000 K to operate. 
E)  occurs during helium flash. 
A)  controls the pulsations in Cepheid variable stars. 
B)  is the nuclear fusion of hydrogen to helium in massive stars. 
C)  is the process that produces the neutrinos we receive from the sun. 
D)  requires a temperature of about 5,000,000 K to operate. 
E)  occurs during helium flash.

Question 4

The explosion of a supernova typically leaves behind

Accepted Answer

A)  a planetary nebula. 
B)  a shell of hot, expanding gas with a white dwarf at the center. 
C)  a shell of hot, expanding gas with a pulsar at the center. 
D)  Nothing is ever left behind. 
A)  a planetary nebula. 
B)  a shell of hot, expanding gas with a white dwarf at the center. 
C)  a shell of hot, expanding gas with a pulsar at the center. 
D)  Nothing is ever left behind.

Question 5

A Type I supernova is believed to occur when

Accepted Answer

A)  the core of a massive star collapses. 
B)  hydrogen detonation occurs. 
C)  a white dwarf exceeds the Chandrasekhar limit. 
D)  the cores of massive stars collapse. 
E)  neutrinos in a massive star become degenerate and form a shock wave that explodes the star. 
A)  the core of a massive star collapses. 
B)  hydrogen detonation occurs. 
C)  a white dwarf exceeds the Chandrasekhar limit. 
D)  the cores of massive stars collapse. 
E)  neutrinos in a massive star become degenerate and form a shock wave that explodes the star.

Question 6

A(n) ____ is a collection of 105 to 106 stars in a region 10 to 30 pc in diameter. The stars in the collection tend to be more than 109 years old and mostly yellow and red stars.

Accepted Answer

A)  Herbig-Haro object 
B)  globular cluster 
C)  open cluster 
D)  giant cluster 
E)  supernova 
A)  Herbig-Haro object 
B)  globular cluster 
C)  open cluster 
D)  giant cluster 
E)  supernova

Question 7

Even in degenerate matter, pressure depends on temperature.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Why do supernova remnants have limited lifetimes?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why do supernova remnants have limited lifetimes?...

Question 9

What do astronomers think is the eventual fate of a white dwarf?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What do astronomers think is the eventual...

Question 10

Helium flash occurs

Accepted Answer

A)  because helium is very explosive and cannot be controlled when the nuclear reactions occur. 
B)  because degenerate electrons in the core do not allow the core to expand as it heats up. 
C)  in Cepheid variables. 
D)  in stars with masses less than 0.4 M. 
E)  none of the above. 
A)  because helium is very explosive and cannot be controlled when the nuclear reactions occur. 
B)  because degenerate electrons in the core do not allow the core to expand as it heats up. 
C)  in Cepheid variables. 
D)  in stars with masses less than 0.4 M. 
E)  none of the above.

Question 11

Which of the following nuclear fuels does a one-solar-mass star use over the course of its entire evolution?

Accepted Answer

A)  hydrogen 
B)  hydrogen and helium 
C)  hydrogen, helium and carbon 
D)  hydrogen, helium, carbon, and neon 
E)  hydrogen, helium, carbon, neon, and oxygen 
A)  hydrogen 
B)  hydrogen and helium 
C)  hydrogen, helium and carbon 
D)  hydrogen, helium, carbon, and neon 
E)  hydrogen, helium, carbon, neon, and oxygen

Question 12

A young star cluster will have ____ than an older star cluster.

Accepted Answer

A)  a redder turn-off point 
B)  a bluer turn-off point 
C)  fewer stars 
D)  fewer luminous stars 
E)  more low mass stars 
A)  a redder turn-off point 
B)  a bluer turn-off point 
C)  fewer stars 
D)  fewer luminous stars 
E)  more low mass stars

Question 13

Which of the following nuclear fuels does a one-solar-mass star use over the course of its entire evolution?

Accepted Answer

A)  hydrogen 
B)  hydrogen and helium 
C)  hydrogen, helium, and carbon 
D)  hydrogen, helium, carbon, and neon 
E)  hydrogen, helium, carbon, neon, and oxygen 
A)  hydrogen 
B)  hydrogen and helium 
C)  hydrogen, helium, and carbon 
D)  hydrogen, helium, carbon, and neon 
E)  hydrogen, helium, carbon, neon, and oxygen

Question 14

What is the difference between a supernova and a nova?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the difference between a supernova...

Question 15

The sun will eventually become a supernova.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

What nuclear fusion mechanism does an isolated white dwarf use to generate energy?

Accepted Answer

A)  proton-proton chain 
B)  CNO cycle 
C)  triple alpha process 
D)  white dwarfs don't generate their own energy. 
A)  proton-proton chain 
B)  CNO cycle 
C)  triple alpha process 
D)  white dwarfs don't generate their own energy.

Question 17

If the stars at the turnoff point of a cluster have a mass of 3M, what is the age of the cluster?

Accepted Answer

A)  3.0*1010 years 
B)  3.3*109 years 
C)  6.4*108 years 
D)  1.6*1011 years 
E)  The age of a star cluster cannot be determined from the mass of stars at the turnoff point. 
A)  3.0*1010 years 
B)  3.3*109 years 
C)  6.4*108 years 
D)  1.6*1011 years 
E)  The age of a star cluster cannot be determined from the mass of stars at the turnoff point.

Question 18

Explain why giant stars are less dense than main-sequence stars.

Accepted Answer

Giant stars are less dense than main-seq

Question 19

A planetary nebula has a radius of 0.5 pc and is expanding at 20 km/s. What is the approximate age of this planetary nebula? (1 pc is equal to 3*1013 km and 1 year is equal to 3.15*107 seconds.)

Accepted Answer

A)  240 years 
B)  790,000 years 
C)  96,000 years 
D)  960 years 
E)  24,000 years 
A)  240 years 
B)  790,000 years 
C)  96,000 years 
D)  960 years 
E)  24,000 years

Question 20

Explain the major differences between type II supernova and a type Ia supernova.

Accepted Answer

Type II supernovae occur when a massive

The diagram below shows a light curve from a supernova. How many days after maximum light did it take for the supernova to decrease in brightness by a factor of 100?

What is the difference between a planetary nebula and a supernova remnant?

The triple-alpha process

The explosion of a supernova typically leaves behind

A Type I supernova is believed to occur when

A(n) ____ is a collection of 10⁵ to 10⁶ stars in a region 10 to 30 pc in diameter. The stars in the collection tend to be more than 10⁹ years old and mostly yellow and red stars.

Even in degenerate matter, pressure depends on temperature.

Why do supernova remnants have limited lifetimes?

What do astronomers think is the eventual fate of a white dwarf?

Helium flash occurs

Which of the following nuclear fuels does a one-solar-mass star use over the course of its entire evolution?

A young star cluster will have ____ than an older star cluster.

Which of the following nuclear fuels does a one-solar-mass star use over the course of its entire evolution?

What is the difference between a supernova and a nova?

The sun will eventually become a supernova.

What nuclear fusion mechanism does an isolated white dwarf use to generate energy?

If the stars at the turnoff point of a cluster have a mass of 3M, what is the age of the cluster?

Explain why giant stars are less dense than main-sequence stars.

A planetary nebula has a radius of 0.5 pc and is expanding at 20 km/s. What is the approximate age of this planetary nebula? (1 pc is equal to 310¹³ km and 1 year is equal to 3.1510⁷ seconds.)

Explain the major differences between type II supernova and a type Ia supernova.

Here and Now

A Users Guide to the Sky

Cycles of the Sun and Moon

The Origin of Modern Astronomy

Light and Telescopes

Atoms and Spectra

The Sun

The Family of Stars

The Formation and Structure of Stars

Neutron Stars and Black Holes

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies: Normal and Active

Modern Cosmology

The Origin of the Solar System

Earth and Moon: Bases for Comparative Planetology

Mercury, Venus and Mars

The Outer Solar System

Meteorites, Asteroids, and Comets

Astrobiology: Life on Other Worlds

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Exam 10: The Deaths of Stars

The diagram below shows a light curve from a supernova. How many days after maximum light did it take for the supernova to decrease in brightness by a factor of 100?

What is the difference between a planetary nebula and a supernova remnant?

The triple-alpha process

The explosion of a supernova typically leaves behind

A Type I supernova is believed to occur when

A(n) ____ is a collection of 105 to 106 stars in a region 10 to 30 pc in diameter. The stars in the collection tend to be more than 109 years old and mostly yellow and red stars.

Even in degenerate matter, pressure depends on temperature.

Why do supernova remnants have limited lifetimes?

What do astronomers think is the eventual fate of a white dwarf?

Helium flash occurs

Which of the following nuclear fuels does a one-solar-mass star use over the course of its entire evolution?

A young star cluster will have ____ than an older star cluster.

Which of the following nuclear fuels does a one-solar-mass star use over the course of its entire evolution?

What is the difference between a supernova and a nova?

The sun will eventually become a supernova.

What nuclear fusion mechanism does an isolated white dwarf use to generate energy?

If the stars at the turnoff point of a cluster have a mass of 3M, what is the age of the cluster?

Explain why giant stars are less dense than main-sequence stars.

A planetary nebula has a radius of 0.5 pc and is expanding at 20 km/s. What is the approximate age of this planetary nebula? (1 pc is equal to 3*1013 km and 1 year is equal to 3.15*107 seconds.)

Explain the major differences between type II supernova and a type Ia supernova.

Here and Now

A Users Guide to the Sky

Cycles of the Sun and Moon

The Origin of Modern Astronomy

Light and Telescopes

Atoms and Spectra

The Sun

The Family of Stars

The Formation and Structure of Stars

Neutron Stars and Black Holes

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies: Normal and Active

Modern Cosmology

The Origin of the Solar System

Earth and Moon: Bases for Comparative Planetology

Mercury, Venus and Mars

The Outer Solar System

Meteorites, Asteroids, and Comets

Astrobiology: Life on Other Worlds

Filters

A(n) ____ is a collection of 10⁵ to 10⁶ stars in a region 10 to 30 pc in diameter. The stars in the collection tend to be more than 10⁹ years old and mostly yellow and red stars.

A planetary nebula has a radius of 0.5 pc and is expanding at 20 km/s. What is the approximate age of this planetary nebula? (1 pc is equal to 310¹³ km and 1 year is equal to 3.1510⁷ seconds.)