Unit 9: Compact Objects

Question 1

What properties do white dwarfs have?

Answer 1

-Made of C/O/Ne/Mg nuclei + electrons
-Mass about 0.15 -1.4
-Radius about 7000 km (one Earth radius)
-Avg density about 10^6 g/cm^3

Question 2

What properties do neutron stars have?

Answer 2

-Made of neutrons
-Mass about 1.1 to 2.1
-Radius about 10-20 km
-Avg density about 10^14 g/cm^3

Question 3

What properties do black holes have?

Answer 3

-Made of unknown material
-Any mass theoretically 4-10^10 in our Universe
-Schwarzschild radius R5 depends on mass
-Avg density inside R5 depends on mass
-Forms from supernova explosions
-Grow by eating space objects
-Lives in galaxies

Question 4

What are pulsars?

Answer 4

Spinning neutron stars (are only detected when their magnetic poles happen to be pointed towards us)