Quiz on Supernovae and Gamma Ray Bursts

What are the closest stars to Earth besides the sun?

• The three stars in Alpha Centauri

• Sirius A and B

• Betelgeuse

• Proxima Centauri

What is the potential danger of a star getting within one light year of Earth?

• It could cause earthquakes

• It could blow off Earth's atmosphere

• It could increase volcanic activity

• It could cause a global ice age

What percentage of energy from a supernova is emitted as gamma rays?

• 10%

• 1%

• 0.1%

• 0.01%

What element found in sedimentary rocks is evidence of a recent supernova?

• Lead-206

• Iron-60

• Carbon-14

• Uranium-238

What is the half-life of Iron-60?

• 10,000 years

• 4.5 billion years

• 2.6 million years

• 1.3 million years

What particles are created when cosmic rays from a supernova hit the atmosphere?

• Protons

• Neutrons

• Electrons

• Muons

What is the estimated frequency of a supernova occurring within 30 light years of Earth?

• Once every 10 billion years

• Once every 100 million years

• Once every 1.5 billion years

• Once every 500,000 years

What is a hypernova?

• A small black hole

• A type of white dwarf

• A type of neutron star

• A rapidly spinning star at least 30 solar masses

What was the effect of the gamma ray burst detected on October 9th, 2022?

• It caused a solar eclipse

• It affected the ionosphere like a solar flare

• It caused a tsunami

• It triggered volcanic eruptions

What event is speculated to have been caused by a gamma ray burst?

• The Ice Age

• The formation of the moon

• The extinction of the dinosaurs

• The Late Ordovician mass extinction