Question 1

It is possible for a medium-mass star to collapse and form a white dwarf, but no planetary nebula.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

A planetary nebula is a(n) ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  expanding envelope of ionized gas expelled by a dying medium-mass star 
B)  expanding envelope of neutral gas and dust expelled by a dying medium-mass star 
C)  contracting envelope of dusty material from planets destroyed by a dying medium-mass star 
D)  contracting envelope of ionized interstellar medium absorbed by a dying medium-mass star 
E)  expanding atmosphere of a medium-mass star as it becomes a red giant 
A)  expanding envelope of ionized gas expelled by a dying medium-mass star 
B)  expanding envelope of neutral gas and dust expelled by a dying medium-mass star 
C)  contracting envelope of dusty material from planets destroyed by a dying medium-mass star 
D)  contracting envelope of ionized interstellar medium absorbed by a dying medium-mass star 
E)  expanding atmosphere of a medium-mass star as it becomes a red giant

Question 3

The Crab Nebula is the remnant of ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  the SN1987a supernova 
B)  a supernova which triggered a mass extinction on Earth 
C)  a supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers 
D)  a supernova which triggered the formation of the Sun 
E)  a supernova in the Large Magellanic cloud 
A)  the SN1987a supernova 
B)  a supernova which triggered a mass extinction on Earth 
C)  a supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers 
D)  a supernova which triggered the formation of the Sun 
E)  a supernova in the Large Magellanic cloud

Question 4

Why is the production of iron important for understanding the explosion of massive stars?

Accepted Answer

Iron nuclei do not produce energy when t

Question 5

____ supernovae are caused by the collapse of an iron core in a high mass star.

Accepted Answer

A)  Only type Ia 
B)  Only type Ib 
C)  Only type II 
D)  type Ia and type II 
E)  type Ib and type II 
A)  Only type Ia 
B)  Only type Ib 
C)  Only type II 
D)  type Ia and type II 
E)  type Ib and type II

Question 6

A star with the mass of our Sun will go through several stages of energy generation through fusion. Which sequence accurately describes these stages in the correct order?

Accepted Answer

A)  hydrogen core → hydrogen shell → helium shell → helium core 
B)  hydrogen core → helium core → hydrogen shell → helium shell 
C)  hydrogen core → hydrogen shell → helium core → helium shell → carbon core 
D)  hydrogen core → hydrogen shell → helium core → helium shell 
E)  hydrogen shell → hydrogen core → helium shell → helium core 
A)  hydrogen core → hydrogen shell → helium shell → helium core 
B)  hydrogen core → helium core → hydrogen shell → helium shell 
C)  hydrogen core → hydrogen shell → helium core → helium shell → carbon core 
D)  hydrogen core → hydrogen shell → helium core → helium shell 
E)  hydrogen shell → hydrogen core → helium shell → helium core

Question 7

All type I supernovae are caused by white dwarfs.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Explain the process that creates a nova.

Accepted Answer

A nova can occur when one star in a clos

Question 9

A massive star can fuse more and more massive nuclei, but this process is limited by the fact that, at some point, an element that is produced ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  becomes completely degenerate in the core, changing the pressure-temperature relationship 
B)  cannot produce energy through fusion 
C)  will only fuse in the presence of even more massive nuclei 
D)  is not found in nature 
E)  decays radioactively before it can undergo fusion 
A)  becomes completely degenerate in the core, changing the pressure-temperature relationship 
B)  cannot produce energy through fusion 
C)  will only fuse in the presence of even more massive nuclei 
D)  is not found in nature 
E)  decays radioactively before it can undergo fusion

Question 10

A white dwarf that exceeds the Chandresekhar limit ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  will collapse to form a neutron star 
B)  will explode as a nova, and may repeat the cycle over time 
C)  is completely destroyed by carbon deflagration 
D)  breaks apart and forms an excretion disk 
E)  becomes a degenerate object 
A)  will collapse to form a neutron star 
B)  will explode as a nova, and may repeat the cycle over time 
C)  is completely destroyed by carbon deflagration 
D)  breaks apart and forms an excretion disk 
E)  becomes a degenerate object

Question 11

What is a planetary nebula?

Accepted Answer

A planetary nebula is a shell of gas tha

Question 12

Match between columns
                        Premises: explosion of a massive star that has created an iron core after losing most of its hydrogen to a binary companion
expansion of a shell created by mass loss during the evolution of a medium-mass star
explosion from the fusion of degenerate hydrogen on the surface of a white dwarf
collapse and complete destruction of a white dwarf that exceeds the Chandresekhar limit
explosion of a massive star that has created an iron core without losing hydrogen to a binary companion

Accepted Answer

The Answer of Type Ib supernova and planetary nebula and is...

Question 13

Fusion processes in stellar cores involving heavy elements ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  generate more energy per atom than fusion of lighter elements 
B)  generate less total energy because less atoms are available 
C)  generate energy for longer periods of time for heavier elements 
D)  occur in shells further and further from the center of the core 
E)  occur in larger and larger volumes of the core 
A)  generate more energy per atom than fusion of lighter elements 
B)  generate less total energy because less atoms are available 
C)  generate energy for longer periods of time for heavier elements 
D)  occur in shells further and further from the center of the core 
E)  occur in larger and larger volumes of the core

Question 14

Stars in binary systems can transfer matter from one star to another at a Lagrange point.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

The main energy source that drives a supernova explosion is ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  a shock wave from the collapse of the iron core 
B)  a blast of gravitational waves emanating from the creation of a neutron star 
C)  a burst of neutrinos generated in the core collapse 
D)  energy from the radioactive decay of heavy elements 
E)  fusion of the remaining hydrogen in the star through a chain reaction 
A)  a shock wave from the collapse of the iron core 
B)  a blast of gravitational waves emanating from the creation of a neutron star 
C)  a burst of neutrinos generated in the core collapse 
D)  energy from the radioactive decay of heavy elements 
E)  fusion of the remaining hydrogen in the star through a chain reaction

Question 16

High-mass stars evolve differently than medium-mass stars because they are able to fuse _______________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of High-mass stars evolve differently than medium-mass stars...

Question 17

Supernovae are ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  very common: there are thousands of detectable events occurring in our galaxy each year 
B)  common: a few dozen are detected in our galaxy each year 
C)  uncommon: there are only one or two detected in our galaxy each year 
D)  rare: only one or two occur each century in our galaxy 
E)  extremely rare: only one or two are detected in the Universe each decade 
A)  very common: there are thousands of detectable events occurring in our galaxy each year 
B)  common: a few dozen are detected in our galaxy each year 
C)  uncommon: there are only one or two detected in our galaxy each year 
D)  rare: only one or two occur each century in our galaxy 
E)  extremely rare: only one or two are detected in the Universe each decade

Question 18

Red dwarf stars (stars between 0.08 and 0.5 solar masses) evolve very differently than other stars as they age because ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  they are formed from pure hydrogen 
B)  they never reach the minimum temperature required to fuse carbon 
C)  they never form white dwarf as remnants 
D)  they are always part of a close binary system 
E)  their interiors are well mixed, through strong convection 
A)  they are formed from pure hydrogen 
B)  they never reach the minimum temperature required to fuse carbon 
C)  they never form white dwarf as remnants 
D)  they are always part of a close binary system 
E)  their interiors are well mixed, through strong convection

Question 19

Supernovae are triggered because iron releases the most fusion energy of any element.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Explain how planetary nebulae and white dwarfs are related to mass loss from an aging medium-mass star.

Accepted Answer

When a main sequence star becomes a red

Exam 13: Deaths of Stars

It is possible for a medium-mass star to collapse and form a white dwarf, but no planetary nebula.

A planetary nebula is a(n) ____.

The Crab Nebula is the remnant of ____.

Why is the production of iron important for understanding the explosion of massive stars?

____ supernovae are caused by the collapse of an iron core in a high mass star.

A star with the mass of our Sun will go through several stages of energy generation through fusion. Which sequence accurately describes these stages in the correct order?

All type I supernovae are caused by white dwarfs.

Explain the process that creates a nova.

A massive star can fuse more and more massive nuclei, but this process is limited by the fact that, at some point, an element that is produced ____.

A white dwarf that exceeds the Chandresekhar limit ____.

What is a planetary nebula?

Fusion processes in stellar cores involving heavy elements ____.

Stars in binary systems can transfer matter from one star to another at a Lagrange point.

The main energy source that drives a supernova explosion is ____.

High-mass stars evolve differently than medium-mass stars because they are able to fuse _______________.

Supernovae are ____.

Red dwarf stars (stars between 0.08 and 0.5 solar masses) evolve very differently than other stars as they age because ____.

Supernovae are triggered because iron releases the most fusion energy of any element.

Explain how planetary nebulae and white dwarfs are related to mass loss from an aging medium-mass star.

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A Users Guide to the Sky

Moon Phases and Eclipses

Origins of Modern Astronomy

Gravity

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Atoms and Spectra

The Sun

The Family of Stars

The Interstellar Medium

Formation and Structure of Stars

Stellar Evolution

Neutron Stars and Black Holes

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Supermassive Black Holes and Active Galaxies

Modern Cosmology

Origin of the Solar System and Extrasolar Planets

Earth the Active Planet

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Meteorites Asteroids and Comets

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