Exam 8: The Deaths of Stars

Cygnus X-1 and LMC X-3 are binary systems with one component not visible.What must the unseen component masses be for astronomers to be certain that these systems contain a black hole?

The average size of a white dwarf is about the same size as the Earth.

Electrons moving in a strong magnetic field emit ____________________ radiation.

Where is the singularity of a black hole found?

Which of the following objects is believed to possibly contain a black hole?

The ____________________ of a black hole in a binary system can emit X-rays,making it possible for us to detect the presence of the black hole.

When the pressure of a gas no longer depends on the temperature,the gas is said to be ____________________.

What evidence do we have that some stars lose mass?

Which of the following is almost always associated with a nova?

Synchrotron radiation occurs when high speed electrons move through a magnetic field.

We expect neutron stars to spin rapidly because they conserve angular momentum.

Why can't a lower-mass star generate energy through carbon flash?

Neutron stars have densities roughly the same as that of the atomic nucleus.

For a star with a mass similar to that of the Sun,what is the last stage of the nuclear fusion?

As a star exhausts the hydrogen in its core,what happens?

Explain how we can find the age of a star cluster.

Observations from the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory showed that gamma ray bursts were located all over the sky.What did astronomers conclude from this?

When does a star experience helium fusion?

Why do astronomers sometimes say "black holes don't suck"?

Which of the following factors does the escape velocity from the surface of an object depend on?