The Stellar Life Cycle

Description: The Stellar Life Cycle Quiz
Number of Questions: 15
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Tags: astrophysics stars stellar evolution
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What is the initial stage of a star's life cycle?

  1. Red Giant

  2. Black Hole

  3. Neutron Star

  4. Nebula


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

A star's life begins as a nebula, a vast cloud of gas and dust.

What happens when a nebula collapses under its own gravity?

  1. It forms a star.

  2. It becomes a black hole.

  3. It explodes in a supernova.

  4. It remains a nebula indefinitely.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

When a nebula collapses under its own gravity, it forms a protostar, which eventually becomes a star.

What is the main source of energy for a star?

  1. Nuclear fusion

  2. Chemical reactions

  3. Gravitational energy

  4. Solar energy


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Stars generate energy through nuclear fusion reactions in their cores, where hydrogen atoms are fused into helium atoms.

What determines the color of a star?

  1. Its size

  2. Its mass

  3. Its temperature

  4. Its age


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The color of a star is determined by its surface temperature, with hotter stars appearing blue or white and cooler stars appearing red or orange.

What happens when a star runs out of hydrogen fuel in its core?

  1. It becomes a white dwarf.

  2. It explodes in a supernova.

  3. It collapses into a black hole.

  4. It becomes a red giant.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

When a star runs out of hydrogen fuel in its core, it expands and becomes a red giant.

What is the final stage of a star's life cycle for stars with masses similar to our Sun?

  1. Black hole

  2. Neutron star

  3. White dwarf

  4. Supernova


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

For stars with masses similar to our Sun, the final stage of their life cycle is to become a white dwarf, a dense remnant of the star's core.

What is the remnant left behind after a massive star explodes in a supernova?

  1. Black hole

  2. Neutron star

  3. White dwarf

  4. Red giant


Correct Option:
Explanation:

After a massive star explodes in a supernova, it can leave behind a black hole or a neutron star, depending on the mass of the star's core.

What is the fate of a star with a mass several times that of our Sun?

  1. It becomes a white dwarf.

  2. It explodes in a supernova.

  3. It collapses into a black hole.

  4. It becomes a red giant and then a white dwarf.


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Stars with masses several times that of our Sun will eventually explode in a supernova.

What is the name of the expanding shell of gas and dust that is ejected during a supernova?

  1. Supernova remnant

  2. Nebula

  3. Black hole

  4. White dwarf


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The expanding shell of gas and dust that is ejected during a supernova is called a supernova remnant.

What is the result of the collapse of a massive star's core after a supernova?

  1. Black hole

  2. Neutron star

  3. White dwarf

  4. Red giant


Correct Option:
Explanation:

The collapse of a massive star's core after a supernova can result in the formation of a black hole or a neutron star, depending on the mass of the core.

What is the name of the process by which a star gradually loses mass through its stellar wind?

  1. Supernova

  2. Red giant phase

  3. Black hole formation

  4. Mass ejection


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Stars gradually lose mass through their stellar wind, a process known as mass ejection.

Which type of star has the longest lifespan?

  1. Red dwarf

  2. Blue giant

  3. White dwarf

  4. Neutron star


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Red dwarf stars have the longest lifespans among all types of stars.

What is the name of the diagram that shows the relationship between a star's mass and its luminosity?

  1. Hertzsprung-Russell diagram

  2. Black hole diagram

  3. Neutron star diagram

  4. White dwarf diagram


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram shows the relationship between a star's mass and its luminosity.

What is the name of the hypothetical point in the future when the universe will reach its maximum expansion and begin to contract?

  1. Big Bang

  2. Big Crunch

  3. Black hole singularity

  4. Neutron star collapse


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The Big Crunch is the hypothetical point in the future when the universe will reach its maximum expansion and begin to contract.

What is the name of the process by which a star's core collapses and releases a burst of energy, causing the star to explode?

  1. Supernova

  2. Black hole formation

  3. Neutron star formation

  4. White dwarf formation


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

A supernova is the process by which a star's core collapses and releases a burst of energy, causing the star to explode.

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