1. This question is about some of the properties of Barnard’s star.

Barnard’s star, in the constellation Ophiuchus, has a parallax angle of 0.549 arc-second as
measured from Earth.

(a) With the aid of a suitable diagram, explain what is meant by parallax angle and outline
how it is measured.

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(b) Deduce that the distance of Barnard’s star from the Sun is 5.94 ly.

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 apparent brightness of Barnard's star
(c) The ratio is 2.6 × 10–14.
apparent brightness of the Sun

(i) Define the term apparent brightness.

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luminosity of Barnard' s star

(ii) Determine the value of the ratio (1 ly = 6.3 ×
luminosity of the Sun
104 AU).
(4)

(d) The surface temperature of Barnard’s star is about 3 500 K. Using this information and
information about its luminosity, explain why Barnard’s star cannot be

(i) a white dwarf.

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(1)

(ii) a red giant.

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(Total 16 marks)

2. This question is about Cepheid variables.

(a) Define

(i) luminosity.

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(ii) apparent brightness.

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(b) State the mechanism for the variation in the luminosity of the Cepheid variable.

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(1)

The variation with time t, of the apparent brightness b, of a Cepheid variable is shown below.

W m –2 1.3
–10
b / 10

1.2

1.1

1.0

0.9

0.8
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Time / days

Two points in the cycle of the star have been marked A and B.

(c) (i) Assuming that the surface temperature of the star stays constant, deduce whether
the star has a larger radius after two days or after six days.

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(ii) Explain the importance of Cepheid variables for estimating distances to galaxies.

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 (d) (i) The maximum luminosity of this Cepheid variable is 7.2 × 1029 W. Use data from
the graph to determine the distance of the Cepheid variable.

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(ii) Cepheids are sometimes referred to as “standard candles”. Explain what is meant by
this.

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(2)
(Total 13 marks)

3. This question is about Cepheid variables.

The characteristics of a Cepheid variable were first observed in 1784.

(a) (i) Describe the characteristic by which a Cepheid variable may be identified from
Earth.

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(ii) Outline the cause of this characteristic.

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A particular Cepheid variable is found to have an average value of apparent magnitude of 5.2
and a time period of pulsation of 50 days. Apparent magnitude m is related to absolute
magnitude M and distance d (measured in parsec) by the expression

m – M = 5lg d – 5.

(b) (i) Distinguish between apparent magnitude and absolute magnitude.

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(2)

The graph below shows how the absolute magnitude M of some Cepheid variables varies with
time period T of pulsation.

–8

–7

–6

–5
M
–4

–3

–2

–1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 100
T / day

(ii) Use the graph to obtain a value for the absolute magnitude of this Cepheid variable
and hence determine its distance from Earth.

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(3)
(Total 9 marks)

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4. This question is about eclipsing binary stars.

(a) In a particular binary star system, star A has apparent brightness 8.0 × 10–13 W m–2 and
star B has apparent brightness 2.0 × 10–14 W m–2.

(i) Explain how it is possible to deduce that star A has a higher luminosity than star B.

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(ii) The surface area of star B is 10 000 times smaller than that of star A. Calculate the
ratio

surface temperature of star B

surface temperature of star A

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(4)

(b) The graph below shows the variation with time of the intensity of light received on Earth
from the two stars.

intesity

5 10 15 time / years

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(i) The diagrams below each show the orbits of the two stars. Star A is in the inner
orbit. Annotate the diagrams to show the relative positions of stars A and B as seen
from Earth, that correspond to the intensity-time graph above at times of 5 and 10
years.

Diagram at 5 years Diagram at 10 years

line of sight line of sight

from Earth from Earth
(2)

(ii) State the period of this binary star system.

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(1)

(iii) State what can be deduced from knowing the period of the binary and the
separation of the stars.

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(1)
(Total 10 marks)