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Stellar Evolution

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 14mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Our Sun, along with most of the stars in our neighborhood, probably formed …

a)

… about 10 million years ago.

b)

… a few million years ago.

c)

… hundreds of millions of years ago.

d)

… billions of years ago.

e)

… at the beginning of the universe.

2.

What is the force that keeps a main sequence star

from blowing apart?

a)

radiation pressure

b)

electron degeneration pressure

c)

the strong force

d)

magnetism

e)

gravitation

3.

Which event marks the birth of a star?

a)

collapse of an interstellar cloud

b)

formation of the planetary nebula

c)

fusion of hydrogen atoms into helium atoms

d)

formation of a photosphere

e)

instability in an interstellar cloud

4.

What happens when an interstellar cloud fragment shrinks?

a)

It blocks the passage of light.

b)

Density rises.

c)

Temperature rises.

d)

Pressure rises.

e)

All of these.

5.

A typical protostar may be several thousand times more luminous than the Sun. What is the source of this energy?

a)

chemical combustion of hydrocarbons

b)

nuclear fusion in its core

c)

from the release of gravitational energy as the protostar continues to shrink

d)

the ionization of the gas as it heats up

e)

from nearby hot stars or supernovae that have initiated the star formation process

6.

What is characteristic of a main sequence star?

a)

It has a mass less than the Sun's.

b)

It has rapid rotation and a strong stellar wind.

c)

Nuclear fusion in the core varies due to the amount of gravitational contraction that

occurs and which heavy elements are produced.

d)

The star is in a state of equilibrium between gravitational contraction and radiation

pressure.

e)

All of these answers are correct.

7.

On an H-R diagram, a protostar would be…

a)

…above and to the right of the main sequence.

b)

…below and to the left of the main sequence.

c)

…below and near the right side of the main sequence.

d)

…above and near the upper left of the main sequence.

e)

…on the main sequence at the extreme lower right.

8.

What is the force that keeps a main sequence star from collapsing on itself?

a)

Magnetism

b)

Gravitation

c)

The strong force

d)

Radiation pressure

e)

Electron degeneration pressure

9.

The single most important determinant of the temperature, density, radius, luminosity, and pace of evolution of a protostar is its

a)

chemical composition.

b)

mass.

c)

magnetic field.

d)

molecular composition.

e)

spin.

10.

Compared to lower mass protostars, higher mass protostars enter the main sequence…

a)

…faster and at a higher luminosity and temperature.

b)

…faster and at a lower luminosity and temperature.

c)

…slower and at a higher luminosity and temperature.

d)

…slower and at a lower luminosity and temperature.

e)

…at the same rate, but at a higher luminosity and temperature.

11.

If the initial interstellar cloud in star formation has a mass sufficient to form hundreds of stars, how does a single star form from it?

a)

One star forms at its center and blows the rest of the matter back into space.

b)

The cloud fragments into smaller clouds and forms many stars at one time.

c)

One star forms and the rest of the matter goes into making planets, moons, and other objects of a solar system.

d)

The cloud is disrupted by rotation so that it reduces its mass down to that of a typical star.

e)

A supernova blows the cloud up and dissipates the majority of the gas.

12.

Which of these is NOT typical of a condensing protostar?

a)

magnetic fields producing polar flows

b)

dusty disks around their equators

c)

fusion of helium into carbon in their cores

d)

more infrared than visible light given off from the cocoon of dust around the star

13.

Why are star clusters almost ideal "laboratories" for stellar studies?

a)

All stars in the cluster are the same size and luminosity.

b)

Their combined light makes them much easier to spot from a distance.

c)

Stars in clusters have the same age, similar composition, and are at the same distance away.

d)

Stars in clusters are all relatively young and therefore shine brightly.

e)

Like our Sun, stars in clusters are always located in the plane of the Milky Way

Galaxy.

14.

What is A?

Red giant

Nebula

Where fusion begins

Black dwarf

Main sequence star

White dwarf

Planetary nebula

(a)  

15.

What is B?

Red giant

Nebula

Where fusion begins

Black dwarf

Main sequence star

White dwarf

Planetary nebula

(a)  

16.

What is C?

Red giant

Nebula

Where fusion begins

Black dwarf

Main sequence star

White dwarf

Planetary nebula

(a)  

17.

What is D?

Red giant

Nebula

Where fusion begins

Black dwarf

Main sequence star

White dwarf

Planetary nebula

(a)  

18.

What is E?

Red giant

Nebula

Where fusion begins

Black dwarf

Main sequence star

White dwarf

Planetary nebula

(a)  

19.

What is F?

Red giant

Nebula

Where fusion begins

Black dwarf

Main sequence star

White dwarf

Planetary nebula

(a)  

20.

What is G?

Red giant

Nebula

Where fusion begins

Black dwarf

Main sequence star

White dwarf

Planetary nebula

(a)