Question 1

Which event marks the beginning of a supernova?

Accepted Answer

A)  the sudden collapse of an iron core into a compact ball of neutrons
B)  the onset of helium burning after a helium flash
C)  the beginning of neon burning in an extremely massive star
D)  the sudden initiation of the CNO cycleE) All of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 2

What is a planetary nebula?

Accepted Answer

A)  a disk of gas surrounding a protostar that may form into planets
B)  what is left of the planets around a star after a low-mass star has ended its life
C)  the expanding shell of gas that is no longer gravitationally held to the remnant of a low-mass star
D)  the molecular cloud from which protostars form
E)  the expanding shell of gas that is left when a white dwarf explodes as a supernovaF) B) and C)
G) A) and C)

Question 3

Do you think it is possible that a red supergiant could harbor an advanced civilization? Explain your reasoning.

Accepted Answer

A red supergiant is a late-stage high-ma...

Question 4

Process of Science: Based on what you learned in this chapter,would you expect life to be able to evolve around first-generation stars in our universe? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

Most would say no,as the first-generatio...

Question 5

The following questions refer to the H-R diagram below that shows the life track of a 1-solar-mass star,with various stages labeled with Roman numerals.
 
-During which stage does the star have an inert (nonburning) helium core?

Accepted Answer

A)  iii
B)  iv
C)  vi
D)  vii
E)  viiiF) C) and E)
G) B) and C)

Question 6

In the context of understanding stellar lives,"high-mass" stars have masses

Accepted Answer

A)  more than about 8 times the mass of our Sun.
B)  more than about 3 times the mass of our Sun.
C)  more than twice the mass of our Sun.
D)  more than 20 times the mass of our Sun.E) A) and B)
F) All of the above

Question 7

The following questions refer to the H-R diagram below that shows the life track of a 1-solar-mass star,with various stages labeled with Roman numerals.
 
-What will happen to the star after stage viii?

Accepted Answer

A)  It will explode in a supernova.
B)  It will begin burning carbon in its core.
C)  It will eject a planetary nebula.
D)  It will collapse to make a neutron star.
E)  It will gain mass until it collapses under its own weight.F) A) and B)
G) B) and E)

Question 8

The following questions refer to the sketch below of an H-R diagram for a star cluster.
 
-Based on its main-sequence turnoff point,the age of this cluster is

Accepted Answer

A)  less than 1 billion years.
B)  about 1 billion years.
C)  about 2 billion years.
D)  about 10 billion years.
E)  more than 15 billion years.F) D) and E)
G) B) and C)

Question 9

What is a planetary nebula?

Accepted Answer

A)  gas created from the remains of planets that once orbited a dead star
B)  interstellar gas from which planets are likely to form in the not-too-distant future
C)  the remains of a high-mass star that has exploded
D)  gas ejected from a low-mass star in the final stage of its lifeE) B) and D)
F) A) and B)

Question 10

Which of the following stars will certainly end its life in a supernova?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Sun
B)  a red giant star
C)  a 10-solar-mass star
D)  a neutron starE) C) and D)
F) None of the above

Question 11

Why is iron significant to understanding how a supernova occurs?

Accepted Answer

A)  Iron is the heaviest of all atomic nuclei,and thus no heavier elements can be made.
B)  Supernovae often leave behind neutron stars,which are made mostly of iron.
C)  The fusion of iron into uranium is the reaction that drives a supernova explosion.
D)  Iron cannot release energy either by fission or fusion.E) A) and D)
F) C) and D)

Question 12

You discover a binary star system in which one member is a 15MSᵤn main-sequence star and the other star is a 10MSᵤn giant.Why should you be surprised,at least at first?

Accepted Answer

A)  It doesn't make sense to find a giant in a binary star system.
B)  The odds of ever finding two such massive stars in the same binary system are so small as to make it inconceivable that such a system could be discovered.
C)  The two stars in a binary system should both be at the same point in stellar evolution;that is,they should either both be main-sequence stars or both be giants.
D)  The two stars should be the same age,so the more massive one should have become a giant first.
E)  A star with a mass of 15MSᵤn is too big to be a main-sequence star.F) A) and D)
G) A) and E)

Question 13

Do you think it is possible that a flare star could harbor an advanced civilization? Explain your reasoning.

Accepted Answer

A flare star has violent flare...

Question 14

Do you think it is possible that a carbon star could harbor an advanced civilization? Explain your reasoning.

Accepted Answer

A carbon star is a very old low-mass sta...

Question 15

Stars with high masses live longer than stars with lower masses.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

This diagram represents the life track of a 1-solar-mass star.Refer to the life stages labeled with Roman numerals.
 
-Which stage lasts the longest?

Accepted Answer

A)  I
B)  VI
C)  III
D)  VIIIE) None of the above
F) B) and D)

Question 17

Choose from the list below for the following questions.You may use a choice more than once.
-Which method of energy generation is used by the Sun today?

Accepted Answer

A)  H fusion by the proton-proton chain
B)  H fusion by the CNO cycle
C)  helium fusion
D)  matter-antimatter annihilation
E)  gravitational contractionF) C) and D)
G) A) and E)

Question 18

Stars of lower mass have deeper convection zones outside their cores than stars of higher mass.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

The following questions refer to the sketch below of an H-R diagram for a star cluster.
 
-Which statement about this cluster is not true?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is likely to be located in the halo of the galaxy.
B)  It contains some stars that are burning helium in their cores.
C)  It is the type of cluster known as an open cluster of stars.
D)  It probably contains no young stars at all.
E)  It is likely to be spherical in shape.F) B) and E)
G) B) and C)

Question 20

In order to predict whether a star will eventually fuse oxygen into a heavier element,what do you need to know about the star?

Accepted Answer

A)  its luminosity
B)  its overall abundance of elements heavier than helium
C)  how much oxygen it now has in its core
D)  its massE) A) and B)
F) C) and D)

Exam 17: Star Stuff

Which of the following stars will certainly end its life in a supernova?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The following questions refer to the sketch below of an H-R diagram for a star cluster. -Based on its main-sequence turnoff point,the age of this cluster is

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which event marks the beginning of a supernova?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Do you think it is possible that a flare star could harbor an advanced civilization? Explain your reasoning.

Correct AnswerverifiedA flare star has violent flare...View AnswerShow Answer

What is a planetary nebula?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Stars of lower mass have deeper convection zones outside their cores than stars of higher mass.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

This diagram represents the life track of a 1-solar-mass star.Refer to the life stages labeled with Roman numerals. -Which stage lasts the longest?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Stars with high masses live longer than stars with lower masses.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The following questions refer to the H-R diagram below that shows the life track of a 1-solar-mass star,with various stages labeled with Roman numerals. -What will happen to the star after stage viii?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why is iron significant to understanding how a supernova occurs?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The following questions refer to the H-R diagram below that shows the life track of a 1-solar-mass star,with various stages labeled with Roman numerals. -During which stage does the star have an inert (nonburning) helium core?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In the context of understanding stellar lives,"high-mass" stars have masses

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The following questions refer to the sketch below of an H-R diagram for a star cluster. -Which statement about this cluster is not true?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Process of Science: Based on what you learned in this chapter,would you expect life to be able to evolve around first-generation stars in our universe? Why or why not?

Correct AnswerverifiedMost would say no,as the first-generatio...View AnswerShow Answer

Do you think it is possible that a red supergiant could harbor an advanced civilization? Explain your reasoning.

Correct AnswerverifiedA red supergiant is a late-stage high-ma...View AnswerShow Answer

Do you think it is possible that a carbon star could harbor an advanced civilization? Explain your reasoning.

Correct AnswerverifiedA carbon star is a very old low-mass sta...View AnswerShow Answer

Choose from the list below for the following questions.You may use a choice more than once. -Which method of energy generation is used by the Sun today?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In order to predict whether a star will eventually fuse oxygen into a heavier element,what do you need to know about the star?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

You discover a binary star system in which one member is a 15MSᵤn main-sequence star and the other star is a 10MSᵤn giant.Why should you be surprised,at least at first?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is a planetary nebula?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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A flare star has violent flare...
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Most would say no,as the first-generatio...
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A red supergiant is a late-stage high-ma...
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A carbon star is a very old low-mass sta...
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