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Astronomy > Exam 3 > Flashcards

Exam 3 Flashcards

1
Q

What are Sunspots?

A

Cool areas on the sun’s surface with strong magnetic fields

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2
Q

How do scientists study the interior of the Sun?

A

Mathematic Models

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3
Q

Why does the Sun shine?

A

Nuclear Fusion

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4
Q

Gravitational Equilibrium

A

The balance between gravity and pressure

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5
Q

Energy Balance

A

The balance between incoming and outgoing energy

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6
Q

What is Solar Weather?

A

Space Weather that’s caused by activity on the Sun’s surface

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7
Q

The Sun’s mass compared to Earth’s mass

A

300,000 times more massive

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8
Q

What is the hydrogen core fusion temperature inside our Sun

A

About 27 million degrees F or 15 million degrees C

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9
Q

How many years does it take a solar cycle to transition from maximum to minimum

A

11 years

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10
Q

How does strong solar activity affect out lives on Earth

A

Auroras, Interference with radio communications, disable earth-rotating satellites

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11
Q

What is the HR Diagram?

A

A graphical tool used to classify stars based on their luminosity, spectral type, color, temperature, and evolutionary stage

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12
Q

How do we learn the mass of stars?

A

their orbital period and average distance.

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13
Q

How does color relate to a stars surface temp?

A

Different colors mean different thermal radiation. (ROYGBIV) Color allows astronomers to calculate surface temp

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14
Q

How long will our sun be on the main sequence?

A

10 billion years

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15
Q

What is spectral classification?

A

Sorting stars based on their colors

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16
Q

What does it mean to be on the main sequence?

A

A star is in its stable, adult phase where it fuses hydrogen into helium to produce energy

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17
Q

Once off the main sequence, how do stars produce energy?

A

Through nuclear fusion

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18
Q

What are giants/supergiants?

A

Stars that have exhausted their central core supplies of hydrogen for fusion

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19
Q

What are White Dwarfs?

A

The exposed core of dead stars

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20
Q

How does the HR diagram show the surface temp of stars?

A

HR diagram shows hottest stars at the top and coolest stars at the bottom

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21
Q

How long does a star spend on the main sequence?

A

Most of its life (10 billion years)

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22
Q

How does the parallax angle help us learn about stars?

A

By measuring snapshots taken at different times and measuring the shift in angle to the star

23
Q

What does “oh be a fine guy, kiss me” represent?

A

The spectral types of stars (O hottest, M coolest)

24
Q

What is the most fundamental property of a star?

A

It’s ability to generate light and heat through nuclear fusion

25
Q

Which has a higher temp, Blue or Red star?

A

Blue Star

26
Q

final element in high mass stars

A

Iron

27
Q

Why does a star leave the main sequence?

A

Because the star runs out of fuel

28
Q

What are 3 significant stages the sun will pass through once it leaves the main sequence?

A

Red giant, planetary nebula, and white dwarf

29
Q

Which have shorter life cycles? Low or High Mass Stars? Why?

A

High Mass Stars, they burn through their fuel faster

30
Q

What are the likely end states of high mass stars?

A

Exploding in a supernova or collapsing in a black hole

31
Q

What important role do supernovas play in the galactic recycling?

A

By scattering heavy elements into space which then form stars and planets

32
Q

Why is the sun incapable of fusing elements heavier than HE?

A

There is not enough temperature or pressure

33
Q

How long does it take photon energy from the suns core to reach the suns surface?

A

100,000 years

34
Q

What is a Brown Dwarf?

A

An object with a mass less than 8% of the sun, which cannot have enough nuclear reactions in its core to be a star.

35
Q

What is a neutron star?

A

A ball of neutrons left over from a massive star supernova and supported by neutron degeneracy pressure

36
Q

What would happen to a White Dwarf in a closed binary system if it gains enough mass from its companion star to exceed 1.4 Solar masses?

A

It would explode in a supernova

37
Q

What is a White Dwarf?

A

The remains of a star that ran out of fuel for nuclear fusion

38
Q

What is degeneracy pressure?

A

A pressure exerted by dense material

39
Q

Life cycles of low mass stars

A

Protostar, main sequence star, red giant, white dwarf

40
Q

Life cycles of high mass stars

A

Main sequence star, supernova, glowing ember

41
Q

Mass limit for a white dwarf

A

1.4 solar masses

42
Q

Which is bigger, low or high mass white dwarf

A

Low Mass White Dwarf

43
Q

Mass limit of a neutron star

A

2.16

44
Q

Pulsars

A

Spinning neutron stars that beam radiation

45
Q

Are Neutron stars smaller or larger than white dwarfs?

A

Smaller

46
Q

Event Horizon

A

Spherical surface of a black hole

47
Q

Schwarzschild Radius

A

the distance from the center of a black hole to its event horizon

48
Q

What can escape from the Event Horizon of a Black Hole

A

Nothing

49
Q

What causes gamma ray bursts

A

when massive stars explode or when two neutron stars collide

50
Q

What happens when black holes merge

A

Burst of gravitational waves

51
Q

Gravitational Waves

A

ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by massive objects moving

52
Q

What is a Nova?

A

a H nuclear fusion explosion on a white dwarf

53
Q

What caused the rapid spin of neutron star that we see as a pulsar?

A

The conservation of angular momentum during the collapse of the original star’s core

54
Q
A

Astronomy (4 decks)

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