ASTRO 7N EXAM 2 INTRODUCTION TO
ASTRONOMY FINAL ASSESSMENT
PREPARATION PAPER 2026 HIGH YIELD
CONCEPTS AND ANSWERS
◉ What is the center of a planetary nebula?
A: the core of the dying star
B: something that will eventually become a neutron star
C: something that will eventually become a white dwarf
D: both A and B
E: both A and C
Answer: the core of the dying star and something that will
eventually become a white dwarf (A and C)
◉ How do solar-sized and smaller stars die? About how large are
their remnants?
Answer: They become white dwarfs, about the size of Earth
◉ What does not happen when an object approaches a black hole?
-it becomes redder because photons lose energy
-time runs more slowly as it gets closer to the black hole
,-it quickly gets sucked in even from a large distance
-it gets stretched out because of tidal forces
-none of the above
Answer: It quickly gets sucked in even from a large distance
◉ How can we measure the mass of a black hole?
Answer: measure the speed of the orbit of a star in a binary system
with the black hole
◉ What is the main requirement for a habitable zone?
Answer: liquid water
◉ A star that is twice the mass of our Sun would have a habitable
zone that:
Answer: includes mars but not earth
◉ A star that is 75% the mass of our Sun would have a habitable
zone that:
Answer: includes venus only
◉ What factor is NOT in the Drake Equation?
-fraction of stars with planets
, -number of habitable planets per star with planets
-communication lag due to large distances between stars
-fraction of life-bearing planets on which intelligence involves
-average lifetime of a technologically competent civilization
Answer: communication lag due to large distances between stars
◉ What does the Drake Equation estimate?
Answer: The number of technological civilizations in the Milky Way
◉ What are the differences between open star clusters and globular
star clusters?
Answer: Open clusters are less concentrated, younger, and have
fewer stars
◉ Which of the following is FALSE?
-a supernova is an explosion of a high mass star at the end of its life
-a nova can be caused by a white dwarf gaining material from a
nearby companion star
-a Type Ia supernova is caused by addition of hydrogen-rich material
onto a white dwarf
-a light echo is caused by light from an exploding star that gradually
reaches different layers of gas around the star
-a nova is more luminous than a supernova
ASTRONOMY FINAL ASSESSMENT
PREPARATION PAPER 2026 HIGH YIELD
CONCEPTS AND ANSWERS
◉ What is the center of a planetary nebula?
A: the core of the dying star
B: something that will eventually become a neutron star
C: something that will eventually become a white dwarf
D: both A and B
E: both A and C
Answer: the core of the dying star and something that will
eventually become a white dwarf (A and C)
◉ How do solar-sized and smaller stars die? About how large are
their remnants?
Answer: They become white dwarfs, about the size of Earth
◉ What does not happen when an object approaches a black hole?
-it becomes redder because photons lose energy
-time runs more slowly as it gets closer to the black hole
,-it quickly gets sucked in even from a large distance
-it gets stretched out because of tidal forces
-none of the above
Answer: It quickly gets sucked in even from a large distance
◉ How can we measure the mass of a black hole?
Answer: measure the speed of the orbit of a star in a binary system
with the black hole
◉ What is the main requirement for a habitable zone?
Answer: liquid water
◉ A star that is twice the mass of our Sun would have a habitable
zone that:
Answer: includes mars but not earth
◉ A star that is 75% the mass of our Sun would have a habitable
zone that:
Answer: includes venus only
◉ What factor is NOT in the Drake Equation?
-fraction of stars with planets
, -number of habitable planets per star with planets
-communication lag due to large distances between stars
-fraction of life-bearing planets on which intelligence involves
-average lifetime of a technologically competent civilization
Answer: communication lag due to large distances between stars
◉ What does the Drake Equation estimate?
Answer: The number of technological civilizations in the Milky Way
◉ What are the differences between open star clusters and globular
star clusters?
Answer: Open clusters are less concentrated, younger, and have
fewer stars
◉ Which of the following is FALSE?
-a supernova is an explosion of a high mass star at the end of its life
-a nova can be caused by a white dwarf gaining material from a
nearby companion star
-a Type Ia supernova is caused by addition of hydrogen-rich material
onto a white dwarf
-a light echo is caused by light from an exploding star that gradually
reaches different layers of gas around the star
-a nova is more luminous than a supernova
