Formation of Stars
What are the 3 essential ingredients for star formation
-Stellar Nebula
-Gravity
-Nuclear fusion
What are sun spots?
Cooler, darker regions of the sun's surface
What is the longest class of EMS wavelength?
Radio waves (they can be as large as buildings!)
What is the difference between a planetary and stellar nebula?
Planetary: released gas and dust from dying star
Stellar: cloud of gas and dust capable of forming stars
What color are the hottest stars?
Blue (class O)
Nuclear Fusion, 2 Hydrogen to 1 Helium per reaction
What layer of the sun is most visible to us on earth? (hint: the majority of the light we see is emitted here)
Photosphere
What is the shortest class of wavelengths?
Gamma rays (smaller than atomic nuclei!)
What are the two potential death outcomes of a massive star?
Neutron star, black hole
What do we call the "core" of a black hole?
Singularity
How can we tell what elements are present in stars?
By looking at their absorption/emission spectra and matching them to absorption/emission spectra of elements.
Why is it easiest to see the corona during a solar eclipse?
The gas not dense at all and therefore hardly emits any light.
Explain how the following properties are related: wavelength, frequency, energy
short wavelength=higher energy=higher frequency long wavelength= lower energy=lower frequency
When our sun dies it will become a...
White dwarf
What happens when you scream in space, why?
No one can hear you because sound waves (which are longitudinal) need a medium (air) to travel.
What are the two counteracting forces present in stars? What direction do these forces point?
Gravity points into the center of the star, fusion points outwards
How does the gasses of the sun move in the convective zone?
The move in circular convection currents with warmer gas rising and then cooling and falling.
Which color of light has the longest and shortest wavelengths?
Longest: red
Shortest: violet
What causes a super nova?
Once the core of a massive star runs out of fuel, it collapses. This generates a shock wave that ejects the star's outer layers of gas and dust into space.
What is the 'point of no return' in a black hole?
Event horizon
What is absolute magnitude?
How bright a star ACTUALLY is (smaller number= brighter star)
What is solar wind? What protects us from it?
Charged plasma particles released from the sun, the Earth's magnetic field (northern lights!)
List ALL types of EMS radiation from lowest frequency to highest frequency.
radio, micro, infrared, visible, UV, X-ray, gamma
What is the difference between a red giant and red supergiant?
Red giant: fusion of larger elements results in carbon-oxygen core
Red Supergiant: fusion of larger elements results in iron nuclei core.
Explain the very scientific term: Spaghettification
The rapid "stretching out" of any matter that enters a black hole as a result of immense gravity and curviture of space-time.