ASTRONOMY FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 100% PASS 2026/2027
In the context of nuclear reactions in the Sun, protons collide directly with other protons in the
proton-proton chain to form: - ANS Helium Nuclei
The two most abundant elements in the Sun, with the most abundant given first, are -
ANS Hydrogen and Helium
When energy is first produced by fusion deep in the core of the star, that energy moves outward
mostly by what process? - ANS Radiation
Which color star is likely to be the hottest? - ANS Blue
At an astronomical conference, an astronomer gives a report on a star that interests
astronomers because of hints that it may have a planet around it. In his report the astronomer
gives the average speed with which this star is moving away from the Sun. How did the
astronomer measure this speed? - ANS Doppler shift
Which of the following can astronomers NOT learn from studying the spectrum of a star? -
ANS Cant fool me all above.
@2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED 1
, In an H-R diagram, where can you see the spectral type of a star (whether it is an O type star or
a G type star, for example)? - ANS Along bottom, horizontal line
Who was the astronomer who is the "H" in H-R diagram? - ANS Hertzsprung.
A star that is quite hot and has a very small radius compared to most stars is called -
ANS White dwarf
Which of these stars will take the SHORTEST time to go from the earliest protostar stage to the
main sequence? - ANS a star ten times the mass of our Sun
Which technique allows astronomers to detect exoplanets by causing the star's position to
"wobble"? - ANS Doppler shift method
Protostars with mass equal to or less then the mass of the Sun are called - ANS T Tauri Stars
Herbig-Haro (HH) object - ANS where a jet from a star in the process of being born collides
with (and lights up) a nearby cloud of interstellar matter
Really massive stars differ from stars with masses like the Sun in that they - ANS Can fuse
elements beyond carbon and oxygen in their hot central regions
On a H-R diagram, where would we find stars that are cool and dim? - ANS Lower right
When a star first begins the long path toward becoming a red giant, a layer of hydrogen around
the core begins to undergo fusion. If this layer was too cold to do fusion throughout the main
sequence stage, why is it suddenly warm enough? - ANS the core is collapsing under its own
weight and heating up from the compression; this heats the next layer up
@2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED 2
AND ANSWERS 100% PASS 2026/2027
In the context of nuclear reactions in the Sun, protons collide directly with other protons in the
proton-proton chain to form: - ANS Helium Nuclei
The two most abundant elements in the Sun, with the most abundant given first, are -
ANS Hydrogen and Helium
When energy is first produced by fusion deep in the core of the star, that energy moves outward
mostly by what process? - ANS Radiation
Which color star is likely to be the hottest? - ANS Blue
At an astronomical conference, an astronomer gives a report on a star that interests
astronomers because of hints that it may have a planet around it. In his report the astronomer
gives the average speed with which this star is moving away from the Sun. How did the
astronomer measure this speed? - ANS Doppler shift
Which of the following can astronomers NOT learn from studying the spectrum of a star? -
ANS Cant fool me all above.
@2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED 1
, In an H-R diagram, where can you see the spectral type of a star (whether it is an O type star or
a G type star, for example)? - ANS Along bottom, horizontal line
Who was the astronomer who is the "H" in H-R diagram? - ANS Hertzsprung.
A star that is quite hot and has a very small radius compared to most stars is called -
ANS White dwarf
Which of these stars will take the SHORTEST time to go from the earliest protostar stage to the
main sequence? - ANS a star ten times the mass of our Sun
Which technique allows astronomers to detect exoplanets by causing the star's position to
"wobble"? - ANS Doppler shift method
Protostars with mass equal to or less then the mass of the Sun are called - ANS T Tauri Stars
Herbig-Haro (HH) object - ANS where a jet from a star in the process of being born collides
with (and lights up) a nearby cloud of interstellar matter
Really massive stars differ from stars with masses like the Sun in that they - ANS Can fuse
elements beyond carbon and oxygen in their hot central regions
On a H-R diagram, where would we find stars that are cool and dim? - ANS Lower right
When a star first begins the long path toward becoming a red giant, a layer of hydrogen around
the core begins to undergo fusion. If this layer was too cold to do fusion throughout the main
sequence stage, why is it suddenly warm enough? - ANS the core is collapsing under its own
weight and heating up from the compression; this heats the next layer up
@2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED 2
