1. What is a star?
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1 point
A ball of burning plasma…mostly hydrogen and helium
The result of clouds of gas in space colliding and causing nuclear fusion
The process by which most elements are formed and released into the universe
All of the above
All of the above
1. What is a star?
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1 point
A ball of burning plasma…mostly hydrogen and helium
The result of clouds of gas in space colliding and causing nuclear fusion
The process by which most elements are formed and released into the universe
All of the above
All of the above is correct. A star is a ball of burning plasma, mostly made up of hydrogen and helium. It is formed as a result of clouds of gas in space colliding and causing nuclear fusion. This process also leads to the formation and release of most elements into the universe.
2. The life cycle of a star depends upon its…
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1 point
Luminosity
Mass
Apparent Magnitude
Age
The life cycle of a star depends upon its mass.
2. The life cycle of a star depends upon its…
1 point
Luminosity
Mass
Apparent Magnitude
Age
The life cycle of a star depends upon its mass.
Luminosity
Mass
Apparent Magnitude
Age
The life cycle of a star depends primarily on its mass. The mass of a star determines its luminosity, apparent magnitude, and age. These factors all play a role in determining the various stages a star goes through during its life cycle, including its formation, main sequence phase, red giant phase, and possible supernova or white dwarf stage.
4. What is a phase that our sun, a small to average sized star, will never experience?
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1 point
Red Giant
Supernova
White Dwarf
Nebula
Our Sun, a small to average-sized star, will never experience a supernova phase. Instead, it is predicted to go through a red giant phase before eventually becoming a white dwarf.
5. A group of scientists found a new star in the galaxy. They determined that it was over 5x the size of our sun and is in its main sequence. What would be the next phase of this star’s life?
1 point
Red Giant
White Dwarf
Red Supergiant
Neutron Star
If the star is over 5 times the size of our Sun and is currently in its main sequence, the next phase of its life would likely be a red supergiant.
6. View & read about the Orion Nebula. What 2 gases make up most of this cloud where new stars are formed?
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1 point
Hydrogen and Iron
Hydrogen and Carbon Dioxide
Hydrogen and Helium
Helium and Lithium
The two gases that make up most of the Orion Nebula, where new stars are formed, are hydrogen and helium.
7. What type of star is HOPS-68? And what human phase of life could we consider this star to be in?
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1 point
Protostar; baby
Protostar; elderly
Main Sequence; adult life
Neutron Star; death
HOPS-68 is a protostar, which is in the early stage of stellar evolution. We could consider this star to be in the "baby" phase of its life.
8. Our sun is in which phase of its life? Nuclear fusion will burn all of the hydrogen in its core and then it will begin its next phase of life. Astronomers estimate this will be when?
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1 point
Main Sequence; 5 billion years
Protostar; 5 billion years
Main Sequence; 2 billion years
Red Giant; 5 billion years
Our Sun is currently in the main sequence phase of its life. Astronomers estimate that it will remain in the main sequence for about 5 billion more years, until it exhausts the hydrogen in its core. After that, it will enter its next phase, which is predicted to be the red giant phase.
9. The red supergiant, Betelgeuse (yes…pronounced “Beetle Juice”) is the 2nd brightest star in the constellation Orion. Due to its size and gravity, it is responsible for creating some of the heavier metals in the universe. What is a heavier element likely created by Betelgeuse?
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1 point
Hydrogen (H)
Silicon (Si)
Helium (He)
Lithium (Li)
A heavier element likely created by Betelgeuse is Silicon (Si).
10. The Crab Nebula is actually the remnant of a ___________ explosion. Explosions like this in space are responsible for even heavier elements needed for life such as _________________.
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1 point
White Dwarf; Hydrogen
Nebula: Helium
Supernova; Helium
Supernova; Magnesium
The Crab Nebula is actually the remnant of a supernova explosion. Explosions like this in space are responsible for even heavier elements needed for life such as magnesium.
11. The distance of a star can affect how bright it appears to our human eyes. But astronomers need to know a star’s true brightness or absolute magnitude to compare stars to each other. An H-R Diagram (Hertz-Russell Diagram) graphs each star’s absolute magnitude (or luminosity) with it’s _____.
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1 point
Size
Temperature
Name
An H-R Diagram (Hertz-Russell Diagram) graphs each star's absolute magnitude (or luminosity) with its temperature.
12. Use the simulation above (also linked below) and adjust the temperature of the star both hotter and cooler. You should see the star image changing color. The hottest stars are ____ in color and seen on the ______ side of the graph. Univ of Nebraska. HR Explorer
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1 point
Orange; Right
Blue; Right
Blue; Left
Yellow; Left
The hottest stars are blue in color and are seen on the left side of the graph in the HR Explorer simulation by the University of Nebraska.
13. In the same simulation, leave the temperature around the middle and adjust the luminosity back and forth. Where would we find a cooler but very bright star on the diagram?
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1 point
Top left
Top right
Bottom left
Middle
In the HR Explorer simulation, for a cooler but very bright star, we would find it in the top left part of the diagram.
14. Based on the H-R Diagram, white dwarf stars are not as bright as our sun but their temperature is ________. (HINT: Reset show's our sun's temp around 5800K. Check "show luminosity classes" to find white dwarf stars and click that area on the diagram.)
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1 point
Captionless Image
Hotter
Cooler
The same
Based on the H-R Diagram, white dwarf stars have a cooler temperature compared to our sun.
15. How long would it take to fly a jet to the Sun from earth?
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1 point
Captionless Image
18 years
18 hours
1 year
24 hours
It is not possible to fly a jet to the Sun from Earth. The extreme heat and intense gravitational pull of the Sun make it impossible for any spacecraft or jet to reach it directly.
but if it was possible, how long would it take
If it were possible to fly a jet to the Sun from Earth, it would take approximately 18 years.
16. Which of the following is correct about Sirius?
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1 point
Captionless Image
It is the brightest star in the night sky.
It is not as bright as Canopus.
It can only be seen with a telescope.
It is smaller than our sun.
The correct statement about Sirius is that it is the brightest star in the night sky.
Use this table to answer questions about the spectral features of each of the stars:
17. Sirius has a tempature of 9,940K. Using the table above, what spectral features does Sirius have?
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1 point
Helium, some hydrogen
Strong hydrogen, some ionized metals
Hydrogen and ionized metals such as calcium and iron
Both metals and ionized metals, especially ionized calcium
According to the table, with a temperature of 9,940K, Sirius would have strong hydrogen spectral lines along with some ionized metals.
18. How far away from Earth is Kapteyn's Star?
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1 point
Captionless Image
38 light years
20 light years
13 light years
1 light year
Kapteyn's Star is approximately 13 light-years away from Earth.
19. It is a spectral type M star. Using the table above, what spectral features does Kapteyn's Star have?
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1 point
Helium, some hydrogen
Strong titanium oxide and some calcium
Hydrogen and ionized metals such as calcium and iron
Both metals and ionized metals, especially ionized calcium
According to the table, as a spectral type M star, Kapteyn's Star would have strong titanium oxide (TiO) features and some calcium (Ca) features.
20. What kind of star is Luyten's star?
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1 point
Captionless Image
red dwarf
red giant
white dwarf
neutron star
Luyten's Star is a red dwarf star.
21. It is a temperature of 3,150K. Using the table above, what spectral type is Luyten's Star?
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1 point
F
G
K
M
Based on the temperature of 3,150K, Luyten's Star would have a spectral type of M.
22. True or False: Luyten's Star is moving away from our solar system.
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1 point
True
False
False. Luyten's Star is not moving away from our solar system.
23. How many stars does Capella consist of?
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1 point
Captionless Image
1
2
4
6
Capella consists of two stars.
Use this table to answer questions about the spectral features of each of the stars:
24. The first pair of stars in Capella are type G-giant stars. Using the table above, what spectral features do these stars NOT have?
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1 point
They are a yellowish color.
Their temperature is 5,000-6,000K.
They consist of both metals and ionized metals, especially ionized calcium.
They are a red color.
Based on the table, the first pair of stars in Capella, which are type G-giant stars, would not have a red color.
3. Put the following in order for the life cycle of a SMALL or AVERAGE Sized Star: Nebula ==> Protostar ==> Main Sequence Star ==> Red Supergiant ==> Supernova ==>Black Hole
Nebula ==> Protostar ==> Main Sequence Star ==> Red Giant ==> Planetary Nebula ==>White Dwarf
Planetary Nebula ==> Protostar ==> Giant ==> Supernova ==> Main Sequence ==> Black Hole
Protostar ==> Nebula ==> Main Sequence Star ==> Red Supergiant ==> Supernova ==>Black Hole
The correct order for the life cycle of a small or average-sized star is:
Nebula ==> Protostar ==> Main Sequence Star ==> Red Giant ==> Planetary Nebula ==> White Dwarf