13 Astrophysics Answers to Exam practice questions

Pages 252–255 Exam practice questions

1 Answer C [Total 1 mark]

2 Answer D [Total 1 mark]
3 Answer D [Total 1 mark]
4 Answer A [Total 1 mark]
−6
5 To get degrees, divide 0.01 arcsec by 3600 arcsec per degree ⇒ 2.8 × 10 degrees. [2]
−6 2π rad −8
To get from degrees to radians, multiply 2.8 × 10 degrees × ⇒ 4.8 × 10 rad. [2]
360°
[Total 4 marks]
1000 W m−2
6 Reduction factor = = 0.74 so the answer is C . [Total 1 mark]
1350 W m−2
𝑟
7 a) They are related by tan p = [1]
𝑑
b) i) Rearranging the above formula gives
𝑟 1.5 × 1011 m
d= = [1]
tan 𝑝 tan�4.5 × 10−5 degrees�
17
= 1.9 × 10 m [1]
8 −1 18
ii) 240 light years = 240 × (3.0 × 10 m s ) × (365 × 24 × 3600 s) = 2.27 × 10 m [1]
∴ The parallax angle for this star will be

−5 1.91 × 1017 m
p = (4.5 × 10 degrees) ×
2.27 × 1018 m
−6
= 3.8 × 10 degrees [1]
−6
= 3.8 × 10 degrees × 3600 arcsec per degree = 0.014 arcsec [1]
[Total 6 marks]
8 You need to remember that
−1 −2
W≡Js J≡Nm N ≡ kg m s [2]
−2
Radiation flux is measured in W m [1]
−2 −1 −2 −1 −2 −2 −1 −2
W m ≡ J s m ≡ N m s m ≡ kg m s m s m
−3
So the base SI unit for radiation flux is kg s [1]
[Total 4 marks]
9 From the formula:
luminosity 2 luminosity
radiation flux = ⇒ 4πd = [1]
4π𝑑2 radiation flux
where d is the distance from Earth to the star.
So, for the star Rigel

2 3.8 × 1031 W 38 2
4πd = = 7.03 × 10 m [2]
5.4 × 10−8 W m−2

7.03 × 1038 m2
⇒ d= �
18
= 7.5 × 10 m [1]
4π
[Total 4 marks]

© Tim Akrill and Graham George 2015

13 Astrophysics Answers to Exam practice questions

10 We can only estimate the luminosity because both axes are logarithmic. [1]
Four days will not be far to the right of 3 days on the horizontal axis. [1]
Producing a vertical line from 4 days to the red line, a horizontal line then hits the vertical axis a
2
few mm above 10 (100). [1]
27
The value is therefore between 100 and 1000, probably in the order of 500 × 10 W. [1]
[Total 4 marks]
11 A grain of rice is roughly cylindrical, about 1 mm in diameter and 4 mm long. [1]
Its approximate volume is therefore
2 −3 2 −3
V = πr h = π × (0.5 × 10 m) × (4 × 10 m) [1]
−9 3
≈ 3 × 10 m [1]
From the formula for density
𝑚 17 −3 −9 3
ρ= ⇒ m = ρV ≈ (4 × 10 kg m ) × (3 × 10 m ) [1]
𝑉
8 9
≈ 12 × 10 kg ~ 10 kg [1]
So the mass of a ‘grain’ of a neutron star would be about 1 billion kilograms! [Total 5 marks]

Tip: Note that the Specification requires candidates to ‘be able to estimate values for physical
quantities and use their estimate to solve problems’.

12 The Stefan–Boltzmann law states that:

2 4
L = 4πσr T [1]
We have here that:
−8 −2 −4
L = 0.002L ʘ and σ = 5.7 × 10 W m K
Rearranging the formula gives

2 𝐿 0.002 × 3.9 ×1026 W

r = = [2]
4π𝜎𝑇 4 4π × �5.7 × 10−8 W m−2 K−4 � × �20 × 103 K�
12 2
= 6.8 × 10 m
6
⇒ r = 2.6 × 10 m or 2600 kilometres. [1]
[Total 4 marks]
13 Questions like this are best answered using a list of ‘bullet points’. Your answer should follow a
logical argument, for which marks are awarded, and should include the following points.
• The Sun will remain near S for a further 5 million years during which time its temperature and
26
luminosity will be about 6000 K and 4 × 10 W (L ʘ ). [2]
• Moving away from S to X it will become a ‘red giant’ star with a surface temperature of about
4000 K and a luminosity of about 10000 times L ʘ . [2]
• Moving away from X the star will lose about half its mass and shrink to become a white dwarf
−4
star. Its temperature and luminosity will be about 14000 K and just over 10 L ʘ , i.e. 1/10000
of L ʘ . [2]
[Total 6 marks]

© Tim Akrill and Graham George 2015

13 Astrophysics Answers to Exam practice questions

14 a) Wien’s law gives

−3
λ m T = 2.90 × 10 m K

2.90 × 10-3 m K 2.90 × 10-3 m K

⇒ T= = [1]
λm 440 × 10-9 m
= 6600 K [1]
Referring to a Hertzsprung–Russell diagram (such as those in Figures 13.7 and 13.11), a main
sequence star with this temperature will have a luminosity of about 6 times the luminosity L ʘ
of the Sun. [1]
26 27
∴ L = 6L ʘ = 6 × 3.9 × 10 W = 2.34 × 10 W. [1]
Its distance d from Earth is given by
luminosity 2 luminosity
radiation flux = ⇒ 4πd =
4πd2 radiation flux

2 2.34 × 1027 W 36 2
4πd = = 4.0 × 10 m [1]
5.8 × 10−10 W m−2

4.0× 1036 m2
d= �
17
= 5.6 × 10 m [1]
4π
In light years
5.6 × 1017 m
d= [1]
3.0 × 108 m s−1 × (365 × 24 × 3600 ) s ly−1

= 60 light years [1]

b) Reading off the logarithmic scales of an H–R diagram with its band of stars is by far the least
reliable step in this calculation. So much so, that the distance could be anywhere between 50
and 70 light years. [2]
[Total 10 marks]

Stretch and challenge

15 Atoms of every kind beyond hydrogen are ‘made’ in stars by fusion and subsequent explosive
processes. [2]
Our bodies are made of atoms that result from these events, atoms that have joined with others
to form particles of different materials and this ‘dust’ is what the Earth and animals living on
Earth are ‘made’ from. [2]
[Total 4 marks]
16 Try a search engine with the words ‘dark matter’. Within Wikipedia you will find references
to the ‘Milky Way’, ‘baryonic matter’, ‘mass-energy’ and the ‘standard model’, all terms you
should be familiar with. You will also find the American Space Agency (NASA) site a useful
resource.

© Tim Akrill and Graham George 2015