Study Questions Week 10  Astronomy 104: Stellar Astronomy Fall 2001

Study questions from Chapter 21 

1. What is a "nova"?
2. What is a "light curve"?
3. What is an "accretion disk"?
4. Explain how a nova forms. What happens in a recurring nova?
5. What is a "supernova"?
6. What are the observational differences between type I and type II supernova?
7. What is the cause of a type I supernova?
8. What is the cause of a type II supernova?
9. How does the number of type I supernova compare to the number of type II supernova? Why is this so?
10. What is the heaviest element formed in a massive star that will become a supernova?
11. Why does the formation of Fe in the core of a star result in a supernova?
12. What is "photodisintegration"?
13. What is "neutron degeneracy pressure"?
14. What causes the supernova blast?
15. What is the role of neutrinos is a supernova?
16. What is a "supernova remnant"?
17. Describe the Crab supernova remnant.
18. What is "stellar nucleosynthesis"?
19. Discuss the significance of SN1987A.

Review and Discussion:

Chapter 21: all

Study questions from other weeks:

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