Exploring the Cosmos - Degree Exam 2008 - Life and Death of Stars (Part 1)
1. Which is the closest star to our own Sun?
Proxima Centauri
Betelgeuse
Epsilon Eridani
Barnard's Star
2. At roughly what distance is the closest star to our own?
4.3 parsecs
4.3 lightyears
43 lightyears
43 parsecs
3. A star's luminosity is proportional to its surface temperature raised to what power?
Fourth
Third
First
Second
4. Which element is the second most abundant in our universe?
Helium
Silicon
Hydrogen
Iron
5. Which of the following types of stars are most abundant in the universe?
Blue giants
White dwarfs
Red giants
Red dwarfs
6. Which of the following statements is false?
Hydrogen absorption lines in the spectra of very hot stars are relatively weak.
Hydrogen lines are strong in stars with surface temperatures below 4 000 K.
Hydrogen lines are strongest in stars with surface temperatures around 10 000 K.
Spectra of stars with surface temperatures greater than 25 000 K usually show strong absorption lines of singly ionised helium.
7. Which of the following correctly lists the spectral stellar classes in order of descending temperature?
OBAFGKM
OBAGFKM
OBAKMGF
OBAMFGK
8. How is our Sun classed on the spectral classification scale?
O9
B8
F0
G2
9. Which of the following statements is true?
The apparent brightness of a star increases as the distance it is being observed at increases.
The apparent brightness of a star decreases as its luminosity increases.
The apparent brightness of a star is unaffected by the distance from which it is observed.
The apparent brightness of a star increases as its luminosity increases.
10. If star A is magnitude 2, and star B is magnitude 3, by how many times is star A brighter than star B?
25 times
100 times
2.5 times
10 times
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