Understanding Stars and White Dwarfs

What determines the fate of a dying star?

• Its color

• Its temperature

• Its mass

• Its distance from Earth

Why do stars undergo nuclear fusion while planets do not?

• Stars are hotter than planets

• Stars have more gravity to compress matter

• Stars are made of different elements

• Stars are closer to the sun

How long is it believed to take for a white dwarf to stop glowing?

• A hundred years

• A trillion years

• A billion years

• A million years

What prevents a white dwarf from collapsing further under its own gravity?

• Degenerate electron pressure

• Thermal expansion

• Nuclear fusion

• Magnetic fields

What is the Chandrasekhar Limit?

• The distance at which a star becomes invisible

• The minimum size of a black hole

• The maximum mass a white dwarf can have

• The maximum temperature a star can reach

How can astronomers detect a white dwarf?

• By its color

• By its temperature

• By observing unexplained motion in nearby stars

• By its sound

What is a planetary nebula?

• A misnamed phenomenon related to dying stars

• A type of planet

• A cloud of gas and dust in space

• A star that has exploded

What is the significance of Sirius B?

• It is a newly formed star

• It is a white dwarf companion to the brightest star in the night sky

• It is the closest black hole to Earth

• It is the largest star in the galaxy

What happens during a Helium Shell Flash?

• The star becomes a black hole

• A shell of helium ignites, causing a thermal pulse

• The star's core collapses

• The star explodes

What percentage of stars in our galaxy are expected to become white dwarfs?

• 10%

• 50%

• 100%

• 90%