Question 1

What inevitably forces a star like the Sun to evolve away from being a main sequence star?

Accepted Answer

A)  The core begins fusing iron. 
B)  The star uses up all its supply of hydrogen. 
C)  The carbon detonation explodes it as a type I supernova. 
D)  Helium builds up in the core, while the hydrogen burning shell expands. 
E)  The core loses all its neutrinos, so all fusion ceases. 
A)  The core begins fusing iron. 
B)  The star uses up all its supply of hydrogen. 
C)  The carbon detonation explodes it as a type I supernova. 
D)  Helium builds up in the core, while the hydrogen burning shell expands. 
E)  The core loses all its neutrinos, so all fusion ceases.

Question 2

What is a helium flash?

Accepted Answer

A helium flash is a runaway condition ca

Question 3

A ________ stage is a relatively gentle mass-loss event which allows a star to peacefully readjust its structure into a white dwarf configuration.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A ________ stage is a relatively gentle...

Question 4

For our Sun, the production of carbon will be the end of its nucleosynthesis.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

When a low-mass star runs out of hydrogen in its core, it gets brighter. Why?

Accepted Answer

Without radiation pressure to

Question 6

The fundamental difference between a protostar and a star is that the latter has nuclear fusion as its energy source and the former does not.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

What is the significance of 8 solar masses in stellar evolution?

Accepted Answer

Above 8 solar masses, a high mass star m

Question 8

Which event marks the birth of a star?

Accepted Answer

A)  Formation of the planetary nebula 
B)  Fusion of hydrogen atoms into helium atoms 
C)  Collapse of an interstellar cloud 
D)  Formation of a photosphere 
E)  Instability in an interstellar cloud 
A)  Formation of the planetary nebula 
B)  Fusion of hydrogen atoms into helium atoms 
C)  Collapse of an interstellar cloud 
D)  Formation of a photosphere 
E)  Instability in an interstellar cloud

Question 9

What is the force that keeps a main sequence star from blowing apart?

Accepted Answer

A)  Magnetism 
B)  Gravitation 
C)  The strong force 
D)  Radiation pressure 
E)  Electron degeneration pressure 
A)  Magnetism 
B)  Gravitation 
C)  The strong force 
D)  Radiation pressure 
E)  Electron degeneration pressure

Question 10

The gas in the interstellar medium consists of mostly heavy elements.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

In the Milky Way galaxy, gas and dust are found

Accepted Answer

A)  in molecular clouds. 
B)  everywhere. 
C)  in neutral hydrogen clouds. 
D)  in dark nebulae. 
E)  in emission nebulae. 
A)  in molecular clouds. 
B)  everywhere. 
C)  in neutral hydrogen clouds. 
D)  in dark nebulae. 
E)  in emission nebulae.

Question 12

Why are star clusters almost ideal "laboratories" for stellar studies?

Accepted Answer

A)  All stars in the cluster are the same size and luminosity. 
B)  Their combined light makes them much easier to spot from a distance. 
C)  Stars in clusters have the same age, similar composition, and are at the same distance away. 
D)  Stars in clusters are all relatively young and therefore shine brightly. 
E)  Like our Sun, stars in clusters are always located in the plane of the Milky Way Galaxy. 
A)  All stars in the cluster are the same size and luminosity. 
B)  Their combined light makes them much easier to spot from a distance. 
C)  Stars in clusters have the same age, similar composition, and are at the same distance away. 
D)  Stars in clusters are all relatively young and therefore shine brightly. 
E)  Like our Sun, stars in clusters are always located in the plane of the Milky Way Galaxy.

Question 13

All planetary nebulae are slowly-expanding spherical disks ejected by red giants, while their exposed cores appear as white dwarfs.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Evolution of a star off the main sequence is caused by the loss of mass from hydrogen fusion by the star while a main sequence star.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

As a star begins to evolve away from the main sequence, it gets larger.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

The birthplaces of stars correspond to the ________ clouds in the interstellar medium.

Accepted Answer

densest (a

Question 17

What is the source of the large dust shells seen around some red giants and red supergiants?

Accepted Answer

A)  Leftover material from their formation 
B)  Debris left behind by a supernova 
C)  Material from winds from these same stars 
D)  Debris left behind by passing comets 
E)  Star-forming molecular clouds 
A)  Leftover material from their formation 
B)  Debris left behind by a supernova 
C)  Material from winds from these same stars 
D)  Debris left behind by passing comets 
E)  Star-forming molecular clouds

Question 18

The order of evolutionary stages of a star like the Sun would be Main Sequence, giant, planetary nebula, and finally a ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The order of evolutionary stages of a...

Question 19

During the hydrogen shell burning phase

Accepted Answer

A)  the star grows more luminous. 
B)  the star becomes less luminous. 
C)  helium is burning in the core. 
D)  the core is expanding. 
E)  hydrogen is burning in the central core. 
A)  the star grows more luminous. 
B)  the star becomes less luminous. 
C)  helium is burning in the core. 
D)  the core is expanding. 
E)  hydrogen is burning in the central core.

Question 20

It takes about 10³² hydrogen atoms to make a star.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

What inevitably forces a star like the Sun to evolve away from being a main sequence star?

What is a helium flash?

A ________ stage is a relatively gentle mass-loss event which allows a star to peacefully readjust its structure into a white dwarf configuration.

For our Sun, the production of carbon will be the end of its nucleosynthesis.

When a low-mass star runs out of hydrogen in its core, it gets brighter. Why?

The fundamental difference between a protostar and a star is that the latter has nuclear fusion as its energy source and the former does not.

What is the significance of 8 solar masses in stellar evolution?

Which event marks the birth of a star?

What is the force that keeps a main sequence star from blowing apart?

The gas in the interstellar medium consists of mostly heavy elements.

In the Milky Way galaxy, gas and dust are found

Why are star clusters almost ideal "laboratories" for stellar studies?

All planetary nebulae are slowly-expanding spherical disks ejected by red giants, while their exposed cores appear as white dwarfs.

Evolution of a star off the main sequence is caused by the loss of mass from hydrogen fusion by the star while a main sequence star.

As a star begins to evolve away from the main sequence, it gets larger.

The birthplaces of stars correspond to the ________ clouds in the interstellar medium.

What is the source of the large dust shells seen around some red giants and red supergiants?

The order of evolutionary stages of a star like the Sun would be Main Sequence, giant, planetary nebula, and finally a ________.

During the hydrogen shell burning phase

It takes about 10³² hydrogen atoms to make a star.

The Night Sky

Light and Telescopes

The Solar System

Earth and Its Moon

The Eight Planets

Small Bodies in the Solar System

Formation of Planetary Systems

The Sun

Measuring the Stars

Stellar Explosions

Black Holes

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Cosmology and the Universe

Filters

Exam 10: Star Formation and Evolution

What inevitably forces a star like the Sun to evolve away from being a main sequence star?

What is a helium flash?

A ________ stage is a relatively gentle mass-loss event which allows a star to peacefully readjust its structure into a white dwarf configuration.

For our Sun, the production of carbon will be the end of its nucleosynthesis.

When a low-mass star runs out of hydrogen in its core, it gets brighter. Why?

The fundamental difference between a protostar and a star is that the latter has nuclear fusion as its energy source and the former does not.

What is the significance of 8 solar masses in stellar evolution?

Which event marks the birth of a star?

What is the force that keeps a main sequence star from blowing apart?

The gas in the interstellar medium consists of mostly heavy elements.

In the Milky Way galaxy, gas and dust are found

Why are star clusters almost ideal "laboratories" for stellar studies?

All planetary nebulae are slowly-expanding spherical disks ejected by red giants, while their exposed cores appear as white dwarfs.

Evolution of a star off the main sequence is caused by the loss of mass from hydrogen fusion by the star while a main sequence star.

As a star begins to evolve away from the main sequence, it gets larger.

The birthplaces of stars correspond to the ________ clouds in the interstellar medium.

What is the source of the large dust shells seen around some red giants and red supergiants?

The order of evolutionary stages of a star like the Sun would be Main Sequence, giant, planetary nebula, and finally a ________.

During the hydrogen shell burning phase

It takes about 10³² hydrogen atoms to make a star.

The Night Sky

Light and Telescopes

The Solar System

Earth and Its Moon

The Eight Planets

Small Bodies in the Solar System

Formation of Planetary Systems

The Sun

Measuring the Stars

Stellar Explosions

Black Holes

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Cosmology and the Universe

Filters