FINAL ASTRO EXAM WITH CORRECT SOLUTIONS #3
A type of star cluster that contains mostly very old stars is - correct answer a globular
star cluster
A type of star that has turned out to be extremely useful for measuring distances is -
correct answer the Cepheid variables
The average distance between the Earth and the Sun - correct answer An astronomical
unit
As a cluster of stars begins to age, which type of star in the cluster will move off the
main sequence of the H-R diagram first? - correct answer the O and B type stars
Astronomers believe that the center of our Galaxy has a black hole with enough mass
inside to make almost 4 million Suns! How do astronomers think a black hole could
acquire so much mass? - correct answer the center of our Galaxy is a much more
crowded region than where the Sun is found due to strong gravity; we still see material
falling toward the center and material has fallen in for billions of years
Edwin Hubble developed a classification scheme for galaxies that looked like a tuning
fork. By what characteristic did he classify galaxies? - correct answer their shape,
elliptical or spiral
Edwin Hubble was able to show that (with the exception of our nearest neighbors) the
farther a galaxy is from us, the - correct answer the faster it is moving away from us
How did Henrietta Leavitt calibrate her period-luminosity relationship for Cepheid
variable stars? In other words, how did she make the general idea into a numerical
rule? - correct answer by finding cepheids in star clusters whose distance was known in
another way
How long a main sequence star remains on the main sequence in the H-R diagram
depends most strongly on - correct answer its initial mass
If mid-sized stars with masses like our Sun s cannot make elements heavier than
oxygen, where are heavier elements like silicon produced in the universe? - correct
answer heavier elements are made in the cores of significantly more massive stars than
the Sun, which can get hotter in their core and have greater gravity
If you want to find stars that are just being born, where are the best places to search? -
correct answer in giant molecular clouds
F.
Balls of nebula gas that will soon become stars
C.
,Round compact groups of stars
D.
Loosely gathered stars born in nebula clouds in the galaxy
E.
The point in the plot of a cluster of stars where some start aging into red giants
A.
The property of a star that determines its destiny and eventual death
B.
The process of birth, life, and death of a star - correct answer A.
Mass
B.
Stellar evolution
C.
Globular clusters
D.
Open clusters
E.
Main sequence turn off
F.
Proto-stars
D.
The relationship found in Cephid Variables that allows astronomers to determine their
distance from Earth
E.
A progressive series of techniques that allow astronomers to stretch the maximum
distances from Earth that can be measured
A.
The shift in distance of one object in comparison to a more distance object, useful to
determine their actual distances away
C.
The telescope maker and astronomer whose craftsmanship was considered the highest
in his era
B.
The astronomer whose measurement of a star's actual distance from the Sun was
accepted as the first accurate parallax - correct answer A.
Parallax
B.
Fredrich Willhelm Bessel
C.
Fraunhofer
D.
Period Luminosity
E.
Cosmic Distance Ladder
, D.
1.4 solar masses, beyond which a star's core can not support its own mass with
degeneracy pressure
B.
The hottest burning, largest, and quickest stars to die
A.
The slowest burning and longest living type of star
G.
A type of star explosion that happens in a binary star that is repeatable and does not
destroy the white dwarf or its companion
E.
The last element that can fuse in the core of a star because the reaction sucks heat
away, causing the star to collapse
H.
A type of star explosion that turns a white dwarf into a neutron star and likely destroys
its binary companion
F.
A type of star explosion that happens after a massive star core begins to produce iron
C.
A dying star that is shedding its outer shell and looks like a planet when seen from Earth
- correct answer A.
Red dwarf
B.
O type stars
C.
Planetary nebula
D.
Chandrasekhar Limit
E.
Iron
F.
Type II supernova
G.
Nova
H.
Type Ia Supernova
I.
The object in the center of most large galaxies so massive and compact that light
cannot escape from it
E.
The band of light encircling the sky
F.
A star containing heavy elements, typically young and found in the disk of the galaxy
C.
The idea that different parts of the Galaxy turn at different rates
A type of star cluster that contains mostly very old stars is - correct answer a globular
star cluster
A type of star that has turned out to be extremely useful for measuring distances is -
correct answer the Cepheid variables
The average distance between the Earth and the Sun - correct answer An astronomical
unit
As a cluster of stars begins to age, which type of star in the cluster will move off the
main sequence of the H-R diagram first? - correct answer the O and B type stars
Astronomers believe that the center of our Galaxy has a black hole with enough mass
inside to make almost 4 million Suns! How do astronomers think a black hole could
acquire so much mass? - correct answer the center of our Galaxy is a much more
crowded region than where the Sun is found due to strong gravity; we still see material
falling toward the center and material has fallen in for billions of years
Edwin Hubble developed a classification scheme for galaxies that looked like a tuning
fork. By what characteristic did he classify galaxies? - correct answer their shape,
elliptical or spiral
Edwin Hubble was able to show that (with the exception of our nearest neighbors) the
farther a galaxy is from us, the - correct answer the faster it is moving away from us
How did Henrietta Leavitt calibrate her period-luminosity relationship for Cepheid
variable stars? In other words, how did she make the general idea into a numerical
rule? - correct answer by finding cepheids in star clusters whose distance was known in
another way
How long a main sequence star remains on the main sequence in the H-R diagram
depends most strongly on - correct answer its initial mass
If mid-sized stars with masses like our Sun s cannot make elements heavier than
oxygen, where are heavier elements like silicon produced in the universe? - correct
answer heavier elements are made in the cores of significantly more massive stars than
the Sun, which can get hotter in their core and have greater gravity
If you want to find stars that are just being born, where are the best places to search? -
correct answer in giant molecular clouds
F.
Balls of nebula gas that will soon become stars
C.
,Round compact groups of stars
D.
Loosely gathered stars born in nebula clouds in the galaxy
E.
The point in the plot of a cluster of stars where some start aging into red giants
A.
The property of a star that determines its destiny and eventual death
B.
The process of birth, life, and death of a star - correct answer A.
Mass
B.
Stellar evolution
C.
Globular clusters
D.
Open clusters
E.
Main sequence turn off
F.
Proto-stars
D.
The relationship found in Cephid Variables that allows astronomers to determine their
distance from Earth
E.
A progressive series of techniques that allow astronomers to stretch the maximum
distances from Earth that can be measured
A.
The shift in distance of one object in comparison to a more distance object, useful to
determine their actual distances away
C.
The telescope maker and astronomer whose craftsmanship was considered the highest
in his era
B.
The astronomer whose measurement of a star's actual distance from the Sun was
accepted as the first accurate parallax - correct answer A.
Parallax
B.
Fredrich Willhelm Bessel
C.
Fraunhofer
D.
Period Luminosity
E.
Cosmic Distance Ladder
, D.
1.4 solar masses, beyond which a star's core can not support its own mass with
degeneracy pressure
B.
The hottest burning, largest, and quickest stars to die
A.
The slowest burning and longest living type of star
G.
A type of star explosion that happens in a binary star that is repeatable and does not
destroy the white dwarf or its companion
E.
The last element that can fuse in the core of a star because the reaction sucks heat
away, causing the star to collapse
H.
A type of star explosion that turns a white dwarf into a neutron star and likely destroys
its binary companion
F.
A type of star explosion that happens after a massive star core begins to produce iron
C.
A dying star that is shedding its outer shell and looks like a planet when seen from Earth
- correct answer A.
Red dwarf
B.
O type stars
C.
Planetary nebula
D.
Chandrasekhar Limit
E.
Iron
F.
Type II supernova
G.
Nova
H.
Type Ia Supernova
I.
The object in the center of most large galaxies so massive and compact that light
cannot escape from it
E.
The band of light encircling the sky
F.
A star containing heavy elements, typically young and found in the disk of the galaxy
C.
The idea that different parts of the Galaxy turn at different rates
