The life cycle of a star

This question is about astrophysics.

Diagrams A, B, C and D show different orbital paths for object Y orbiting object X.

Table 1 gives some possible names for object X and object Y.

Complete the table by placing one tick () in each row to show which orbital path is correct for each combination of object X and object Y.

Each orbital path may be used once, more than once, or not at all.

Give the name of the force that causes one object to orbit another object in space.

Table 2 gives information about four different stars in the same galaxy as the Sun.

Give the name of the galaxy that contains the Sun and the stars shown in table 2.

Explain how the stars in table 2 can be classified according to their colour.

Describe the likely future evolution of Antares.

Describe what additional information is needed to predict the next evolutionary stage for Vega.

Which of these is the main source of energy in stars?

The table lists the stages of development of a star that has a very much larger mass than the Sun.

Give the stages in the correct order, using numbers 1 to 5.

Diagram 1 shows a Hertzsprung–Russell (HR) diagram.

Draw a cross to show the position of the Sun on the HR diagram.

In approximately 4 billion years, the Sun will enter the next stage of its evolution.

Draw a circle on the HR diagram around the area that will include the Sun in the next stage of its evolution.

Describe the stars that are in the top left corner of the HR diagram.

Diagram 2 shows how the brightness of two stars, star A and star B, changes with time.

These stars are called Cepheid variables.

Determine the period of the variation in brightness for these stars.

Calculate the frequency of the variation in brightness for these stars.

State what is meant by the term absolute magnitude.

Star A and star B have the same absolute magnitude but star A is always brighter than star B in the night sky.

Explain how this is possible.

This question is about the evolution of a star.

A main sequence star is created in a collapsing region of a nebula.

The table gives different energy stores for the gases in the collapsing nebula, from when the nebula starts to collapse to just before the main sequence star is created.

Complete the table by placing ticks () to show whether each energy store increases, decreases or stays the same.

At the end of the main sequence stage of a star’s evolution, the star can become a red giant or a red supergiant.

Give the property of a star that determines whether it becomes a red giant or a red supergiant.

A red giant star eventually becomes a white dwarf star.

Discuss the differences between a red giant star and a white dwarf star.

This question is about the Sun.

The table shows the different stages in the evolution of stars of different masses.

Complete the table by adding ticks () to show which stages of evolution occur in the life cycle of the Sun.

When viewed from Earth, the surface of the Sun is yellow in colour.

The surface of another star, Betelgeuse, is red in colour.

Explain the difference between the Sun and Betelgeuse, based on the different colours of their surfaces.

The Sun transfers energy to the Earth by radiation.

Give a reason why energy is not transferred from the Sun to the Earth by conduction or convection.

A satellite orbiting the Earth contains sensitive equipment that can be damaged if it gets too hot.

Explain which colour would be most appropriate for the outer surface of the satellite to protect the equipment.

This question is about stars.

The table gives some information about four stars.

Star C is much more powerful than star A.

Stars A and C appear to have the same brightness when viewed from Earth.

Suggest how this is possible.

Using information from the table, explain which star is in the supernova stage of its evolution.

Explain how a main sequence star evolves into a supernova.

Astronomers have used supernovas in distant galaxies to investigate the expansion of the universe.

Light emitted from a supernova at a wavelength of 7.77410^–7m was detected at Earth with a wavelength of 7.78010^–7m.

Calculate the speed at which the galaxy containing this supernova was moving away from the Earth.

[speed of light = 3.010⁸m / s]

The astronomers investigated supernovas that showed a red-shift in the wavelengths detected in different galaxies.

The astronomers discovered that the red-shifted light detected from supernovas in nearby galaxies had shorter wavelengths than the red-shifted light detected from supernovas in galaxies further away.

Explain how this discovery supports the Big Bang theory.

The diagram shows the orbit of the Earth around the Sun.

Sun

Draw the orbit of the Earth’s Moon on the diagram.

Draw the orbit of a comet on the diagram.

Earth orbits the Sun in 365 days with an orbital radius of 150 000 000 km.

Calculate the Earth’s orbital speed in km/s.

Which force keeps the Earth in orbit around the Sun?

Describe the evolution of the Sun from the first stage of its evolution to the final stage of its evolution.

The table gives information about four stars.

Explain which of these stars has the highest surface temperature.

Discuss the evolution of the stars Rigel and Sirius.

Table 1 shows the colour of some stars.

Complete table 2 by giving the stars in order of increasing surface temperature.

The hottest star, Rigel, has been done for you.

A star has a much larger mass than the Sun.

Describe the evolution of this star after it has left the main sequence.

The graph shows the relationship between the peak wavelength of light emitted by a star and the surface temperature of the star.

A scientist suggests that the two variables are linked by this formula.

peak wavelengthsurface temperature = constant

Use data from the graph to justify this formula.

This question is about stars.

Table 1 gives some information about four stars.

Stars can be classified using their surface temperature.

Complete Table 2 by giving the four stars in order of increasing surface temperature.

Name the star in Table 1 that does not follow a similar evolutionary path to the Sun.

The life cycle of a star begins in a nebula.

Describe how a main sequence star is formed from a nebula.

Describe how a main sequence star becomes a white dwarf.

This question is about astrophysics.

The table lists some statements about the universe.

Place ticks (✓) in the table to show which statements support the Big Bang theory.

The Sun will become a red giant star when it leaves the main sequence.

Which row correctly describes how the surface temperature and brightness of the Sun will change when it becomes a red giant?

Astronomical objects can be classified by their absolute magnitude.

State what is meant by the term absolute magnitude.

The passage describes the evolution of a star with a mass that is much larger than the mass of the Sun.

Use words or phrases from the box to complete the passage.

Each word or phrase may be used once, more than once, or not at all.

Hydrogen atoms in a nebula move towards each other due to the force of gravity.

As the atoms move towards each other, their_........ energy

store increases, which increases the temperature. If the temperature becomes

high enough, nuclear fusion of hydrogen will start and the star enters the

_........ stage of its evolution.

When hydrogen fusion stops in the core of the star, the core of the star will start to

_........ . This increases the temperature in a layer

surrounding the core. Hydrogen fusion restarts in a layer surrounding the core.

This causes the star to_........ and its surface temperature

decreases. The star is now a red super giant. Eventually nuclear fusion stops in the

core of the star and the star explodes as a_........ .

The core of the star collapses to form either a_........ or a

black hole.

This question is about stars.

Describe the stages in the evolution of a star similar in mass to the Sun.

The process of energy release in the core of a star is different to the process of energy release in a nuclear reactor in a power station.

Describe how these processes of energy release are different.

This question is about Rigel, a very large star with a high surface temperature.

Stars can appear as different colours because of their different surface temperatures.

Which of these colours shows the highest surface temperature for a star?

Describe how a star is formed in a nebula.

Rigel is a main sequence star.

A star joins the main sequence when nuclear fusion of hydrogen starts in its core.

Describe the process of nuclear fusion in a star.

Astronomers think that Rigel will become a supernova in the future.

Which property of a star determines whether it will become a supernova?

Describe the evolution of Rigel after it leaves the main sequence.

This question is about stars.

Astronomers measure the absolute magnitude of stars.

State what is meant by the term absolute magnitude.

The evolution of stars can be shown on a Hertzsprung‑Russell diagram (HR diagram).

Complete the HR diagram by

● labelling the x‑axis

● completing the absolute magnitude scale

● drawing the main sequence, red giant and white dwarf regions

This question is about stars.

The diagram shows the orbits of two astronomical objects around a star.

Add a labelled arrow to the diagram to show the type of force from the star acting on object A.

What is object A?

What is object B?

State the name given to a large collection of billions of stars.

Physicists classify stars according to their colour.

Each group of stars of similar colour is called a spectral class.

The table gives information about colour and surface temperature for three spectral classes of stars.

The Sun belongs to spectral class G.

Complete the table by suggesting values for the missing surface temperatures.

There are stars in the universe with masses much greater than the mass of the Sun.

Describe what happens to these high-mass stars when they leave the main sequence stage of their evolution.

A Hertzsprung‑Russell diagram shows how different astronomical objects may be classified according to their colour and absolute magnitude.

The diagram shows three stages of evolution for stars of similar mass to the Sun.

Describe the evolution of stars of similar mass to the Sun.

You should refer to the temperature and brightness of the stars in your answer.