ASTR 1P01/02: Introduction to Astronomy I/II

Practice Exam

Please solve the following questions. This is not a real exam, it will not be graded, and you do not need to submit your solutions to anyone. The questions are simply intended to help you practice for the real exam.

These questions will not appear in the exam itself. Students who don't genuinely attempt to solve the questions on their own, and only memorize the solutions, will have a very hard time in the actual exam!

This sample exam is online, but the real exam will be given in person, at a time and place indicated on the course website.

THIS IS NOT THE ACTUAL EXAM!
THIS IS JUST A PRACTICE EXAM!
THE REAL EXAM IS IN PERSON!

If you need any clarifications for these questions, you can ask for them on the course Teams channel.

Question 1

The end products of the triple-alpha process are...

Beryllium nuclei.
Carbon nuclei.
Helium nuclei.

Question 2

What are the least common particles in cosmic rays?

Electrons or positrons.
Protons.
Helium nuclei.

Question 3

How much energy is emitted in a spin-flip transition?

21 micro electron volt
5.9 micro electron volt
1.4 micro electron volt

Question 4

Most of the volume of interstellar gas is in the form of...

H II regions.
Hot gas.
Molecular clouds.

Question 5

The atoms in a gold ring were most likely created in...

A collision with an asteroid.
A supernova.
The core of a star.

Question 6

Which kind of region is the least common?

H II.
Both regions are equally common.
H I.

Question 7

He II stands for...

Ionized helium.
Neutral helium.
Ionized hydrogen.

Question 8

Can a white dwarf have 2.2 solar masses?

Depends on its radius.
No.
Yes.

Question 9

At the end of the life of a star with 20 solar masses, just before gravitational collapse, where would you expect to find hydrogen?

In the outermost layer.
In the core.
In a middle layer.

Question 10

Which force tries to expand every star throughout its life?

Electromagnetism.
Gravity.
Pressure.

Question 11

Which of the following has the strongest magnetic field?

A magnetar.
A normal (radiation- or accretion-powered) pulsar.
Planet Earth.

Question 12

In which stage of its life will a star with mass similar to the Sun have the smallest diameter?

Red giant.
White dwarf.
Main sequence.

Question 13

If a star has less mass...

Its lifetime is unaffected.
Its lifetime is longer.
Its lifetime is shorter.

Question 14

Approximately how long will the Sun spend in the main sequence stage?

11 billion years.
1.3 billion years.
5 million years.

Question 15

What is interstellar reddening?

The process where stars turn into red dwarfs.
The process where stars begin to emit more red light.
The process where light from stars becomes more red due to dust.

Question 16

A white dwarf...

Produces faint light with stored heat energy.
Produces bright light with energy from nuclear reactions.
Does not produce light anymore.

Question 17

A radiation-powered pulsar is currently 9 million years old. When it was 1 million years old, it rotated...

At the same speed.
Faster.
Slower.

Question 18

Which is smaller?

They are both the same size.
The Local Fluff.
The Local Bubble.

Question 19

What is a nova?

An explosion that occurs when a white dwarf accumulates matter from its binary companion and approaches the Chandrasekhar limit.
An explosion that occurs when a new star is created.
An explosion that occurs when a white dwarf accumulates matter from its binary companion but does not approach the Chandrasekhar limit.

Question 20

In the process of star formation, after a core starts contracting but before hydrogen fusion begins, we have...

A protostar.
A main-sequence star.
A molecular cloud.

Question 21

Consider a star with an initial mass of 15 solar masses. What will be this star's final state?

A brown dwarf.
A neutron star.
A white dwarf.

Question 22

How long will a star with approximately 3.3 solar masses stay on the main sequence?

Approximately 10 million years.
Approximately 500 million years.
Approximately 14 billion years.

Question 23

Compared to white dwarfs, neutron stars are...

More dense.
Just as dense.
Less dense.

Question 24

A reflection nebula...

Blocks light.
Creates its own light.
Scatters light from nearby stars.

Question 25

What is left after a Type Ia supernova?

A neutron star or a black hole.
Nothing.
A white dwarf.