Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

A)  hypernova. 
B)  neutron star. 
C)  white dwarf. 
D)  nova. 
E)  black hole. 
A)  hypernova. 
B)  neutron star. 
C)  white dwarf. 
D)  nova. 
E)  black hole.

Question 2

Protostars have not been observed, but are consistent with observations of young main sequence stars.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

What is a planetary nebula?

Accepted Answer

A)  The bipolar jets ejected by a T Tauri variable 
B)  A planet surrounded by a glowing shell of gas 
C)  The disc of gas and dust surrounding a young star that will soon form a solar system 
D)  The ejected envelope, often bipolar, of a red giant surrounding a stellar core remnant 
E)  A type of young, medium mass star 
A)  The bipolar jets ejected by a T Tauri variable 
B)  A planet surrounded by a glowing shell of gas 
C)  The disc of gas and dust surrounding a young star that will soon form a solar system 
D)  The ejected envelope, often bipolar, of a red giant surrounding a stellar core remnant 
E)  A type of young, medium mass star

Question 4

How long does it take for a star like our Sun to form?

Accepted Answer

A)  100 thousand years 
B)  Two million years 
C)  Fifty million years 
D)  One billion years 
E)  4.6 billion years 
A)  100 thousand years 
B)  Two million years 
C)  Fifty million years 
D)  One billion years 
E)  4.6 billion years

Question 5

When helium fusion begins in a one solar mass main star, it begins gradually, with this rate slowly increasing over time.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Which statement is TRUE about the interstellar medium?

Accepted Answer

A)  Gas contains a lot of carbon atoms. 
B)  Dust blocks the longest electromagnetic wavelengths. 
C)  Gas obscures the light from distant stars. 
D)  We know more about the gas than the dust. 
E)  Dust is spread uniformly through the galaxy. 
A)  Gas contains a lot of carbon atoms. 
B)  Dust blocks the longest electromagnetic wavelengths. 
C)  Gas obscures the light from distant stars. 
D)  We know more about the gas than the dust. 
E)  Dust is spread uniformly through the galaxy.

Question 7

What temperature is needed to fuse helium into carbon?

Accepted Answer

A)  5,800 K 
B)  100,000 K 
C)  15 million K 
D)  100 million K 
E)  One billion K 
A)  5,800 K 
B)  100,000 K 
C)  15 million K 
D)  100 million K 
E)  One billion K

Question 8

What element are most white dwarfs primarily made of? Why?

Accepted Answer

They consist largely of carbon, for it i

Question 9

During various stages of evolution, low mass stars (like the Sun) differ significantly from high mass stars. How do they differ in terms of observational properties while Main Sequence stars?

Accepted Answer

High mass stars are blue or wh

Question 10

Isolated main-sequence stars as massive as 10 to 12 times the mass of the Sun may still manage to avoid going supernova. Why?

Accepted Answer

A)  Because they can also have strong stellar winds 
B)  Because about half that mass will be contained in the carbon core 
C)  Because they would be classified as brown dwarfs 
D)  Because these stars will eject at least 4 solar masses in the planetary nebula stage 
E)  Because their masses will decrease as they fuse heavy elements into lighter elements in their cores 
A)  Because they can also have strong stellar winds 
B)  Because about half that mass will be contained in the carbon core 
C)  Because they would be classified as brown dwarfs 
D)  Because these stars will eject at least 4 solar masses in the planetary nebula stage 
E)  Because their masses will decrease as they fuse heavy elements into lighter elements in their cores

Question 11

Discuss the relationship between young stars, the interstellar medium and nebulae.

Accepted Answer

Young stars give off ultraviolet radiati

Question 12

In general, as stars go through the last stage of post-main sequence evolution they will lose mass in the process of settling down into their final state. Explain the mass-loss process and the final state of the star for a low mass star.

Accepted Answer

For a low mass star, the hydrogen fuel i

Question 13

Eventually, all low mass stars will become white, then black, dwarfs.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Hydrogen is the major gas in the interstellar medium.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Eta Carinae is an example of a

Accepted Answer

A)  black hole. 
B)  supermassive star. 
C)  red dwarf. 
D)  nebula. 
E)  stellar nursery. 
A)  black hole. 
B)  supermassive star. 
C)  red dwarf. 
D)  nebula. 
E)  stellar nursery.

Question 16

The birth of stars is a battle between gravity and radiation pressure.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

During various stages of evolution, low mass stars (like the Sun) differ significantly from high mass stars. How and why are the main sequence lifetimes different?

Accepted Answer

High mass stars burn out quick

Question 18

Interstellar matter is distributed very evenly through the galaxy.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

In an H-R Diagram, the path showing changes in a star's luminosity and surface temperature as a function of time is called its ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In an H-R Diagram, the path showing...

Question 20

What happens when an interstellar cloud fragment shrinks?

Accepted Answer

A)  It first becomes opaque. 
B)  Density rises. 
C)  Temperature rises. 
D)  Pressure rises. 
E)  all of the above 
A)  It first becomes opaque. 
B)  Density rises. 
C)  Temperature rises. 
D)  Pressure rises. 
E)  all of the above

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

Protostars have not been observed, but are consistent with observations of young main sequence stars.

What is a planetary nebula?

How long does it take for a star like our Sun to form?

When helium fusion begins in a one solar mass main star, it begins gradually, with this rate slowly increasing over time.

Which statement is TRUE about the interstellar medium?

What temperature is needed to fuse helium into carbon?

What element are most white dwarfs primarily made of? Why?

During various stages of evolution, low mass stars (like the Sun) differ significantly from high mass stars. How do they differ in terms of observational properties while Main Sequence stars?

Isolated main-sequence stars as massive as 10 to 12 times the mass of the Sun may still manage to avoid going supernova. Why?

Discuss the relationship between young stars, the interstellar medium and nebulae.

In general, as stars go through the last stage of post-main sequence evolution they will lose mass in the process of settling down into their final state. Explain the mass-loss process and the final state of the star for a low mass star.

Eventually, all low mass stars will become white, then black, dwarfs.

Hydrogen is the major gas in the interstellar medium.

Eta Carinae is an example of a

The birth of stars is a battle between gravity and radiation pressure.

During various stages of evolution, low mass stars (like the Sun) differ significantly from high mass stars. How and why are the main sequence lifetimes different?

Interstellar matter is distributed very evenly through the galaxy.

In an H-R Diagram, the path showing changes in a star's luminosity and surface temperature as a function of time is called its ________.

What happens when an interstellar cloud fragment shrinks?

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

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

Protostars have not been observed, but are consistent with observations of young main sequence stars.

What is a planetary nebula?

How long does it take for a star like our Sun to form?

When helium fusion begins in a one solar mass main star, it begins gradually, with this rate slowly increasing over time.

Which statement is TRUE about the interstellar medium?

What temperature is needed to fuse helium into carbon?

What element are most white dwarfs primarily made of? Why?

During various stages of evolution, low mass stars (like the Sun) differ significantly from high mass stars. How do they differ in terms of observational properties while Main Sequence stars?

Isolated main-sequence stars as massive as 10 to 12 times the mass of the Sun may still manage to avoid going supernova. Why?

Discuss the relationship between young stars, the interstellar medium and nebulae.

In general, as stars go through the last stage of post-main sequence evolution they will lose mass in the process of settling down into their final state. Explain the mass-loss process and the final state of the star for a low mass star.

Eventually, all low mass stars will become white, then black, dwarfs.

Hydrogen is the major gas in the interstellar medium.

Eta Carinae is an example of a

The birth of stars is a battle between gravity and radiation pressure.

During various stages of evolution, low mass stars (like the Sun) differ significantly from high mass stars. How and why are the main sequence lifetimes different?

Interstellar matter is distributed very evenly through the galaxy.

In an H-R Diagram, the path showing changes in a star's luminosity and surface temperature as a function of time is called its ________.

What happens when an interstellar cloud fragment shrinks?

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