Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1) · PHYSICS · Chapter
Stellar Evolution
37 practice questions
Topics covered
Practice questions
11–20 of 37
Question 11
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains our Solar System.
(a)[1 mark]Describe the shape of the Milky Way as seen from above.
(b)[1 mark]Where is the Solar System located within the Milky Way galaxy?
(c)[2 marks]Explain why we see many stars in the direction of the Milky Way band in the night sky.
Question 12
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →The following table shows three observed stars and their properties:
Observed star properties Star Apparent colour Surface temperature (K) A red 2 500 B blue 34 000 C yellow 5 900 (a)[1 mark]Which star is the hottest? Explain your answer.
(b)[1 mark]What is the star class of Star C? Use the class table from the syllabus.
(c)[2 marks]Describe the expected relationship between the colour of a star and its surface temperature.
Question 13
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →The table below shows the classification and some properties of certain stars:
Star Class Colour Alpha K orange Beta B blue-white Gamma M red Delta G yellow (a)[2 marks]Which of the stars in the table above is likely to have the highest surface temperature? State your answer and explain your reasoning.
(b)[2 marks]Which star class in the table is most similar to the Sun? Give the name and class.
Question 14
2 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →Describe the overall structure of the Milky Way galaxy. Name the type of galaxy and state where the Sun is located within it.
Question 15
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →A group of students observe three stars through a telescope. The results are recorded in the table below.
Observed star properties Star Colour Estimated surface temperature Star A red 2500 K Star B yellow 5800 K Star C blue 33000 K (a)[2 marks]State the relationship between the colour of a star and its surface temperature.
(b)[2 marks]Which of these stars is likely to belong to the class O? Explain your answer.
Question 16
1 mark · Easy
Answer and see the solution →What are the two main forces that balance each other during the main sequence period of a star's life?
Question 17
3 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →(a)[1 mark]Name the stage of a star's life just before it becomes a main sequence star.
(b)[1 mark]State what process starts at the beginning of the main sequence stage.
(c)[1 mark]How long does the main sequence stage typically last for a star like the Sun?
Question 18
1 mark · Easy
Answer and check →Which of the following objects is the most dense?
- A.Red giant
- B.Main sequence star
- C.White dwarf
- D.Red supergiant
Question 19
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →(a)[1 mark]A star much larger than the Sun ends its life in a different way from our Sun. Name the explosion that ends its life.
(b)[1 mark]What is one possible remnant left behind after this explosion?
Question 20
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →Information on the surface temperature and absolute magnitude of three stars. Star Surface Temperature (K) Absolute Magnitude Alpha 6,000 +5 Beta 20,000 -5 Gamma 3,500 -1 Based on the data above, which star is the brightest and which is the coolest?