TOPIC 11 ASTROPHYSICS AND COSMOLOGY

11B Space

1 Astronomers can learn a great deal by observing the light from stars.
A particular star is observed to have a surface temperature of 4200 K.
(a) Explain, with reference to a relevant equation, how the temperature of a star
relates to the wavelength of light it emits.
(2)

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(b) Calculate the star’s peak wavelength in nm and estimate its colour.
(3)

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(c) The star’s luminosity is measured as 126.3 LS. Calculate the radius of the
star. The Sun’s luminosity is LS = 3.95 × 1026 W.
(3)

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(Total for Question 1 = 8 marks)

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2 A Hertzsprung–Russell diagram is shown below.

(a) (i) On the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram, identify the position of white

dwarfs by writing the letter ‘W’ on the appropriate group.
(1)

(ii) On the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram, identify the group of supergiants

by writing the letter ‘S’ on the appropriate group.
(1)

(b) Draw a line on the diagram which indicates the life cycle of a Sun-like star.
Your line should start as a nebula. Clearly indicate the direction of the line.
(3)
(Total for Question 2 = 5 marks)
3 A star has a parallax of 0.12 seconds of arc. Calculate how long it would take a
radio signal beamed from Earth to reach this star (1 pc = 3.09 × 1016 m). Give
your answer in years.
(3)

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(Total for Question 3 = 3 marks)

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4 In an alternate universe, the Hubble constant is measured to be
50.5 km s–1 Mpc–1. (1 Mpc = 3.09 × 1022 m)
(a) Calculate the age of this universe in years.
(2)

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(b) Calculate the red shift of a galaxy in this alternate universe, which is
127 Mpc from the observer.
(2)

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(Total for Question 4 = 4 marks)

TOTAL FOR ASSESSMENT = 20 MARKS

© Pearson Education Ltd 2019. Copying permitted for purchasing institution only. This material is not copyright free. This
document may have been altered from the original
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