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Astronomy 101- stars
test 3
110
Astronomy
Undergraduate 1
03/14/2013

Additional Astronomy Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term

What makes a star a star?   It's a . . .

Definition

big bag of gas (plasma), with nuclear fusion reactions in the core


Term

the sun is held up against self-gravity by

 

Definition
gas pressure
Term

The chemical composition of the Sun is most similar to that of

 

Definition
Saturn ... (or Jupiter)
Term

What does E=mc2 mean?

 

Definition
Mass m is a form of energy E
Term

What kinds of particles fuse in fusion reactions?

 

Definition
protons, as well as other atomic nuclei
Term

When hydrogen fusion takes place, some of the ____ of the original ____ gets converted to ____.

 

Definition
mass, protons, energy (light)
Term

The Sun's energy is derived from...

Definition
fusion of hydrogen to helium in its core
Term

Sunspots are...

Definition
Dark, relatively cool patches on the Sun where magnetic fields have suppressed heat flow from the interior
Term

Most of the brightest stars we see at night appear bright because

 

Definition
they are intrinsically very luminous but much further than the closest stars
Term

Measuring stellar parallax is important because

Definition

 a parallax allows the direct determination of a stellar

distance

Term

A nearby star's parallax _angle_ is accurately measured by Earthlings and Jupiterlings. How do their observed parallax angles compare?

 


Definition
the Jupiterlings find a larger parallax angle
Term

A nearby star's parallax _angle_ is accurately measured by Earthlings and Venusians. How do their observed parallax angles compare?

 

Definition

the Earthlings find a larger parallax angle


Term

Binary stars are essential in determining what stellar property?

 


Definition
mass
Term

Stars with cooler surface temperatures than the Sun but are much more luminous (intrinsically) must be

 

Definition
bigger than the Sun
Term

_____ stars provide most of the total mass in stars;

_____ stars provide most of the light from stars.

 

Definition
low mass stars....massive and giant
Term

 

The stellar property that is most important in determining 

 how quickly a star will evolve is a star's

Definition

 

mass

Term

When stars burn hydrogen on the main sequence, the fusion reactions occur

 

Definition
only in the inner core
Term

Presently, low mass stars burn Hydrogen via the ____ while high mass stars use the _____.

 

Definition

proton-proton chain ... CNO cycle


Term

How did the first generation of high mass stars burn hydrogen?

 

Definition
proton-proton chain
Term

The Sun is about ____ & is about ____ its life on the main sequence

 

Definition
5 billion years old, half way through
Term

After the nuclear fuel has been used up in the core of a star, the core then _____ and ____.

 


Definition
contracts, heats
Term

What element is produced in helium burning?

 

Definition
carbon
Term

Hydrogen fusion in stars occurs at _____ helium fusion

 

Definition
a much lower temperature than
Term

The stellar remnant (corpse) of a star like the Sun is a

white dwarf

Definition
white dwarf
Term

Supernovae are particularly important to us because

much of the material that the Earth & we humans are made of was expelled from

 

Definition
stellar interiors by supernovae
Term

Will our Sun ever undergo a white dwarf supernova?

 

Definition

no, our Sun is not in a close binary star system


Term

When a star becomes a black hole, where does the star's mass go?

 

Definition

the mass compresses to a singularity at the center


Term

What kind of pressure holds up a black hole?

 

Definition
none
Term

If the Sun were somehow turned into a black hole of the same mass...

 

Definition
our orbit would stay the same, safely distant from the black hole
Term

If you were inside the event horizon of a black hole and aimed a flashlight outward, away from the center of the black hole, we on the outside would see your light

 



Definition
not at all
Term

If you were inside the event horizon of a black hole, could you see out of it?

 

Definition
Yes, photons from outside still pass through the event horizon
Term

the solar cycle marked by the appeareneand dissaperanse of sunspots is cause by


Definition
 the growth and decay of magnietic fields
Term

stars with biggest luminosity Masses  

 

Definition

have shortest lifespan D


Term

white dwarfs are not on main line sequence and are at 

Definition

the bottom A

Giants at top! C

Term

how do the stars shine

 

Definition
huge balls of burning gas that emit light from far away distance
Term
what is defining characteristic of stars
Definition
nuclear fusion in the core of star--FUSION
Term
how does the sun hold itself up against self-gravity
Definition
gas pressure
Term

how is the sun structured? what are its atmospheric layers?

 

Definition
photoshpere, chromosphere, cornoa
Term
what is the chemical composition of the sun and how does it compare to those of the planets?
Definition
hy he +gases - like jovian planets
Term
what fusion reaction is teh sun using primarily and where
Definition
nuclear fusion , dense core
Term
what was teh solar neutrino "problem"
Definition
a lot on earch seen 1/3 expected- turned into 2 other kinds . we found 3
Term
what are sunspots and why are they relatively dark
Definition
dark spots in photosphere, darker becuase they are cooler. very magnetic
Term
what drives teh solar activty cycle
Definition
magnetic field growth
Term
how do we determine basic stellar properties such as surface temperature, chemacal composition, luminosity, mass , siz and velocity?
Definition
steller size? **** idk
Term
how do we measure distances to stars
Definition
parallax method
Term
what is steller parallax
Definition
direct determination of steller distance- shift
Term
are the britest stars in the night sky just closer to us or far away and unusually luminous
Definition

closer- brigher ( size, distance, luminosity)

farther away- could mean more luminous

Depends?

Term
how does suns luminosity compare to other stars
Definition
average star compared to others
Term
what does e=mc^2 mean and how is it relevant to the fusion process
Definition

Mass m is form of energy E.

stars create their own energy through fusion

Term
why does fusion requre extremely high temperatures and densities
Definition
very small go fast - high temps
Term
what kinds of particles fuse in fusion reactions?
Definition
protons, as well as other atomic nuclei hy he carbon
Term
how do fusion reactions produce engergy
Definition
join 2 nuclei to single nuclei - release energy
Term
where do fusion reactions occur in a star?
Definition
core
Term
how do stars fuse hydrogen, helium, carbon, etc?
Definition

hy: proton-proton chain CNO cycle

He: trople alpha (2 step)

cabon: alpaha (capture)

Term
how do stars form?
Definition
cold dense clouds, gravitationally contracting and fragmenting
Term
which stars are most numerous, which provide the most mass, which generate the most light
Definition

numerous- more low mass stars than high mass stars

most massive most mass from low mass stars

most lifht most light from high mass and giant stars

Term
how old is the sun and when will it start to die
Definition
5 billion and die at 10 billion
Term
what stellar property determines how quickley a star evolves and dies?
Definition
Mass
Term
how does the temperature for helium fusion compare to that for hydrogen fusion
Definition
he required more energy bc fusing only 2 He = unstable beryllium
Term
where are heavy elements like oxygen, calcium and iron made?
Definition
?? they are made_____
Term

how do stars die? what are the threee kinds of stellar corpes?

 

Definition

from same way its born , it dies, as nuclear fusion process takes place each atom slams into each other not only producing that energy but the 2 atoms that smah turn into one atom/ heavier/ it turns from Hy to a heavy element. the heavier the more heat is produced to fuse them (elements). depending on the mass of the star it can continue the neculear process all the way to the element that absorbs energy so the nuclear process ends there for majority of the stars. the stars core wil try to fuse iron but fail and stars expand and BOOM = supernovae

 

 luminosity dermines how star dies

 

1. white dwarf+planetary nebula: many buring stages but short of core Fe - buring

2. neturon star + supernova II : many burning stages, ending with core Fe- buring implosion

3. Black hole: same as 2^. but outer star smothers SN and Fe core grows too massive for NS

Term
what happens to a star if it tries to fuse iron in its core?
Definition
iron coreimplosion- neutron state 
Term
what will the Sun become when it dies? what will most stars end up as?
Definition
white dwarf--> black holes (red giant)
Term
how do lifetimes of stars compare to the current age of the universe?
Definition
I DONT KNOW. age of universe ??
Term
how can stars evolution be affected by being in close stellar binary system
Definition

transfer mass to each other

 

type II single Masses star iron core 

collapse---> leaves NS remnant youn stellar pops

Term
what kinds of stars blow up in supernovae? what do these explosions leave behind?
Definition

type 1

accrcting WD in binary star system explodes old stellar population

 

?? idk 

Term
how does the structure of a star change when it dies?
Definition
core shrinks
Term
what is a planetary nebula?
Definition

gas cloud puffed out off unstable star

cor shrinks and becomes white dwarf

Term
what do Hertzprung-Russell diagrams plot? why are they useful?
Definition

plot steller temp v luminosity

know things about star by knowing temperature 

Term
what is the physical signifiance of the "main sequence" of a hertzprung-Russell diagram?
Definition

age luminousity distance clolor

"spetroscopiz parallax"

Term
what other stellar properties apart from those expliity plotted can be deduced from the diagrams?
Definition

color age distance

spectroscopiz

Term
how are the mass and luminosity of main swquence stars related ?
Definition
depencs directly on mass
Term
what is the relative size of a star which is cooler than the sun but it more luminous?
Definition
smaller
Term
what is the physical signifiance of the "main swquence turnoff"
Definition

tells the age of the most massive star on sequence

*orion - lower left is sirus B

Term

what is a white dwarf? how does a white dwarf form

Definition

the stellar remnant of a star like the sun

(corpse)

stopped contracting, stopped fusion reactions- expand to red giant and shrink and die

so small not much light

Term
how big in size is white dwarf? whats its maximum mass
Definition

diameter= 1 earth diam

mass <1.4 M sun

Term

what is the ultimate fate of an isolatedd white dwarf

 

Definition
will cool forever -> black dwarf (none old enough yet)
Term
what happens to a WD if its mass is pushed ober its mass limit?
Definition

will explode - core collaspe 

neutron stars

Term
will our sun ever undergo a white dwarf supernova?
Definition

no our sun is not in a close binary star system

 

 

Term
what is a neutron star? how do they form
Definition

remnant of core collapse supernova

 

most gigantic "atomic nuclei"

Term
what kind of pressure holds up a nuetron star?
Definition

Neutron degerency pressure 

-not strong force

Term
what is the mazimum mass of a neutron star?
Definition

3-3.25 masses 1.472.3 M

??

AHH

Term
what happens if you add mass t oa neutron star near its mass limit?
Definition
expands and then blows up into supernova
Term
how big in size is a neutron star?
Definition

small city 10 km in diam

very compact

Term

how do we detect netron stars?

 

Definition
pulsars
Term
what is a pulsar?
Definition

A celestial object, thought to be a rapidly rotating neutron star, that emits regular pulses of radio waves and other electromagnetic radiation at rates of up to one thousand pulses per second.

--says google

Term
what are black holes? what are their basic properties?
Definition

surrounded by even horizon 

nothing can escape not even light= black

-collapse star with strong gravity- pull fields that even light cannot escape^. massive gravity

Term
how do black holes form
Definition
dying of giant stars - gravatiy forces matter to crush until singularity(core of bh) is created
Term
what holds up a black hole against self gravity
Definition
nothing, none
Term
what is the even horizon of a black hole? how does its size related to the mass of a black hole?
Definition

 "the point of no return" i.e. the point at which the gravitational pull becomes so great as to make escape impossible. Light emitted from beyond the horizon can never reach the observer.  any object approaching the horizon from the observer's side appears to slow down and never quite pass through the horizon, with its image becoming more and more redshifted as time elapses.

When people talk about the size of a black hole, they are referring to the size of the event horizon. The more mass the singularity has, the larger the event horizon.

Term
when a star becomes a black holewhere doesthe star's mass go?
Definition
mass compresses to a singularity at center core
Term
how do we detect black holes?
Definition

how they influence gavity and light

1 star orbiting something invisible

 

Term
what is the maximum mass of a black hole?
Definition
there is no mass limit
Term
what happens to to the appearence of an object as it falls into a black hole?
Definition
blueshifted.. events happen faster bc sense of time is faster
Term
can you see out of a black hole
Definition
yes photons from outside pass through event horizon
Term
if sun turns into black hole, same mass
Definition
our orbit would stay the same, safely distant from the black hole
Term
where are stars with larger diameteres
Definition
top right corner
Term
where are stars with shortest life time on main sequence?
Definition
top left
Term
where do stars have shortest life?
Definition
bottom right
Term
white dwarfs are ..
Definition
bottom left
Term
stars with most mass are
Definition
in the top left
Term

high maginitude =

low maginitdue  =

Definition

hm= dimmer

lm= brighter

Term

the bigger stars are born the faster they die.

 

Definition
true
Term
if main sequence is yellow it is older than a blue cluster
Definition
true
Term
Neutron stars and black holes have____. (element)
Definition
Iron
Term

orion is in lower left

sirius b white 

closest dwarf

Definition
facts
Term
^mass ^event horizon
Definition
true fact
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