MCC PHS 142 M01 Astronomy Homework Ch.20-21
Adj Prof Astronomy: Sam Wormley <sam.wormley@gmail.com>
Web: edu-observatory.org
Background Material
Textbook - Read Chapters 20-21
Textbook - http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073512184/student_view0/chapter20/
Textbook - http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073512184/student_view0/chapter21/
(take the Multiple Choice Quiz for for each chapter)
Web - http://edu-observatory.org/eo/sun.html
Web - http://edu-observatory.org/eo/white_dwarfs.html
Web - http://edu-observatory.org/eo/black_holes.html
Web - http://edu-observatory.org/eo/binary_stars.html
Web - http://edu-observatory.org/eo/double_stars.html
Web - http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
White Dwarfs
Explanation: The circled stars in the picture above are from a class
that is hard to see in the cosmos: white dwarfs. The entire photo
covers a small region near the center of a globular cluster known as
M4. Researchers using the Hubble Space Telescope discovered a large
concentration of white dwarfs in M4. This was expected--low mass stars,
including the Sun, are known to evolved to the white dwarf stage.
White dwarfs do not usually evolve further, they just gradually cool
down from their high temperatures. It is hoped that studying how these
stars cool could lead to a better understanding of their ages, of the
age of their parent globular cluster, and hopefully even the age of our
universe!
The Structure and Evolution of Hot White Dwarfs are among the oldest
objects in the galaxy and are the remnants of the earliest phases of
star formation. No bigger than the Earth, they are formed when a star
like our Sun ends its life. When white dwarfs are born the are
incredibly hot (about 200,000 degrees C) and then cool down slowly over
thousands of millions of years. Study of the distribution and physical
characteristics of the white dwarf population is an essential part of
understanding the early history of the galaxy. In addition, observing
white dwarfs allows us to address a number of problems concerning the
latter stages of stellar evolution, particularly those of mass loss and
cessation of nuclear fusion during the post Red Giant phases, and study
the behavior of matter under conditions of extreme temperature and
pressure which cannot be reproduced in a laboratory. As white dwarfs
cool, from time-to-time they become unstable and begin to "ring",
rather like an enormous church bell. We see this "ringing" as tiny
variations in the brightness of the star which, if measured very
accurately, can tell us how massive the star is, what it is made of and
how fast it is cooling.
White Dwarfs form as the outer layers of a low-mass red giant star puff
out to make a planetary nebula. Since the lower mass stars make the
white dwarfs, this type of remnant is the most common endpoint for
stellar evolution. If the remaining mass of the core is less than 1.4
solar masses, the pressure from the degenerate electrons (called
electron degeneracy pressure) is enough to prevent further collapse.
TAKE [CHOOSE] SOMETHING LIKE A STAR
O star (the fairest one in sight),
We grant your loftiness the right
To some obscurity of cloud-
It will not do to say of night,
Since dark is what brings out your
light.
Some mystery becomes the proud.
But to be wholly taciturn
In your reserve is not allowed.
Say something to us we can learn
By heart and when alone repeat.
Say something! And it says "I burn."
But say with what degree of heat.
Talk Fahrenheit, talk Centigrade.
Use language we can comprehend.
Tell us what elements you blend.
It gives us strangely little aid,
But does tell something in the end.
And steadfast as Keats Eremite,
Not even stooping from its sphere,
It asks a little of us here.
It asks of us a certain height,
So when at times the mob is swayed
To carry praise or blame too far,
We may choose something like a star
To stay our minds on and be staid.
-Robert Frost
Frost knew that elements are synthesized in stars. He knew that we know
what we know about stars from measuring their light (determining their
temperature). He knew that in human lifetimes stars are steady and
stable--something we can count on. And you know that if you look long
enough, and far enough, that they all "blow themselves up or dim to a
dying cinder".
You all have young eager minds. There is so much fascinating stuff to
learn and you only have a few score years and ten to fit everything in.
Several years ago, I had the privilege of seeing in Omaha, 50 pieces of
Rodin sculpture on tour from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Collection.
Quoting Eliot Nusbaum, of the Des Moines Register, August 4, 1996, and
I quote:
There is a picture on the back wall of the gallery at the
Joslyn Art Museum that shows Auguste Rodin's funeral. In
the center of the image is a monumental version of his most
famous work, "The Thinker".
Forming a ring around the statue is a cordon of armed
guards. Beyond the cordon is a huge crowd of mourners--the
kind of crowd you expect for a head of state, not an
artist.
Such was the stature of the great French artist, and
deservedly so. Walking through a gallery of his work nearly
80 years after his death, is so exciting you just can't
help but be astonished, amazed and thrilled...
|
Viewing Rodin's work evokes such emotion in me, that I was exhausted
after three hours and found it was "too much". Now that reminds of
something Max V. Exner... said to me some years ago. Max, long retired
now, was ISU's Extension 4-H Music Specialist. I met Max while in high
school, at a summer 4-H music camp. As an undergraduate student at Iowa
State, I was privileged to be part of a choir that Max directed, taking
us to Chicago to cut the National 4-H Record.
Some years later, during a visit to Max's office in ISU's Morrell Hall,
I was intrigued by some visual material Max had created depicting the
back-and-forth, give-and-take structure of the first theme in Brahms
Symphony No.4.... a favorite of mine from childhood. As it turns out,
that Brahms Symphony was performed in C.Y. Stephens some years back...
by one of the world famous orchestras that we are so privileged to have
perform in Ames. The final piece performed that evening was the Brahms,
which was superb.
Max Exner was sitting in the row ahead of me... I made some comment...
He replied that it was "too much". He knew Brahms intimately from his
work in music. I, being an amateur scholar of Rodin, know some of
Rodin's work intimately. Now I know what Max meant when he said it was
"too much".
There are many many beautiful things in life, music, sculpture,
paintings, literature, nature and on and on. Knowledge is one of those
things. Knowledge will help you get a better job. Knowledge will enrich
your life. This astronomy class will help you appreciate the nature
around you. You are learning part of the history of how we have come to
know who we are and our place in the Universe. I sincerely hope that
each of you will go on and learn all you can about "what's out there"
in the Universe.
Review of the Final States of Stars
Star are born and stars die... just like us. The big massive stars have
but short lives, a few millions of years. Stars like our sun last for a
good 10 billions of years, and the little red stars like Barnard's Star
might last for 100 billion years. How long stars live, is determined by
their mass (which must be at least 80 Jupiter masses to sustain
thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen).
There are four (4) fates for the end of stars depending on their masses
and the masses of their cores:
Red/Brown Dwarfs - less than 0.076 Ms <== Main Sequence 0.076-0.8 Ms
Stars less than about 0.6 solar masses, when nuclear fuel is used up,
gravitational collapse shrinks the star, but no more than the gas
temperature-pressure-volume laws of classical physics allow. We have
not found any white dwarf less massive than 0.6 solar masses. Part of
the answer is that the universe may not be old enough for lower mass
stars to have evolved off the main sequence.
White Dwarfs - 0.08 and 1.44 Ms <== Main Sequence 0.8-8 Ms
Stars with core masses between 0.08 and 1.44 solar masses are
destined to become white dwarfs. White dwarfs are degenerate matter.
Further collapse is halted by electron degeneracy pressure. See pages
456-459 in your textbook. The vast majority of stars are in this mass
range and are destined to become white dwarfs.
Neutron Stars - 1.44 and 2.9 Ms <== Main Sequence 8-30 Ms
Core masses between 1.44 and 2.9 solar masses overcome electron
degeneracy pressure and collapse to form neutron stars, a star that is
essentially one gigantic nucleus. Further collapse is halted by neutron
degeneracy pressure.
Black Holes - 3 or more Ms <== Main Sequence > 30 Ms
But for cores with mass of 3 or more solar masses, neutron
degeneracy pressure does not stop the collapse and the star becomes a
black hole with zero physical size, but with all the mass. Gravity
really wins!
In each case, gravity eventually wins. But, to what extent is
determined by the mass and the relative pressures of the quantum
mechanical forces, electron and neutron degeneracy pressure.
See: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2901_gamma.html
Homework Problems
Note the answers to the odd (Conceptual Questions, Problems and
Figure-Based Questions) are in the back of your textbook. It is
strongly suggested that you do some of those in every chapter so you
have immediate feedback as how well you are understanding the material.
There are online multiple choice quizzes for each chapter of your
textbook. Goto http://www.mhhe.com/fix then click on
Your book
Student Edition
Choose a chapter
Multiple Choice Quiz
You are expected to do all of your own homework. Statistical patterns
showing copying or collaboration will result in no credit for the
homework assignment for all participants involved. The Code of Academic
Conduct for Iowa Valley Community College District is found in the
Student Handbook.
Physical Science classes require the use of mathematics. If you don't
know algebra, you sould NOT be taking this class. If you need to review,
look at Introduction to Algebra
http://www.math.armstrong.edu/MathTutorial/
WolframAlpha is way faster than a scientific calculator.
http://www.wolframalpha.com
There is little excuse for turning homework in late. You have a whole
week between classes to read the chapters and do the homework. Homework
one week late - half credit. Two or more weeks late - no credit. Do the
homework during the week, not in class! You got homework questions,
email me 24/7. sam.wormley@gmail.com Even if you don't have a homework
question, email me anyway!
Problem 1:
Binary stars are often plotted as though the smaller star orbits the
stationary more massive star. We know that the two binary stars orbit
their common center of gravity, the barycenter. In the case of the
Earth and Moon the barycenter is about a quarter of the way to the
center of the Earth, beneath the surface. Still such binary star
diagrams are very useful tools for observers of binary stars, allowing
an easy calculation of separation and phase angle.
Determine from the diagram below the separation in arcseconds of
Sirius, the "Dog Star" and the Pup when you are 60 years old. Hint:
Copy the 5" (5 arc second) scale from the diagram onto a separate piece
of paper to help measure angular distances.
Problem 2:
Using your starwheel (planisphere), set the Dog Star, Sirius so that it
is due South. From the planisphere determine the Right Ascension (RA)
and Declination (Dec) of the Dog Star, Sirius.
Problem 3:
M87 is a huge elliptical galaxy with a 2-3 billion solar mass black hole
in its heart. The equatorial coordinates are:
Right Ascension: 12:30.8 (hours:minutes)
Declination: +12:24 (degrees:minutes)
Using your starwheel (planisphere), determine what constellation M87
is found.
Problem 4:
A 2-Solar Mass core of a star contracts after using its nuclear fuels.
Explain why we can be sure that the star will not become a white
dwarf.
Problem 5:
What is the difference between the spectra of Type I supernovae and
those of Type II supernovae?
Problem 6:
Why don't we see any pulsars with periods longer than a few
seconds?
Problem 7:
Note the space-time diagrams in Figures 20.22-23. Why can't an object
move "horizontally" in a space-time diagram?
Problem 8:
Assume that a white dwarf has a radius that is 0.67 Earth radii. Use
Figure 20.3 to find the mass of the star.
Problem 9:
Use Figure 20.9 to find the brightness (relative to its maximum
brightness) of a Type II supernova 100 days after the time of maximum
light.
Problem 10:
What would happen to the distance between Jupiter and the Sun, if
the Sun shed mass onto Jupiter?
Problem 11:
What is the ultimate source of energy emitted by accretion disks in
binary systems?
Problem 12:
In a nova, why is the shell of hydrogen on the white dwarf consumed
explosively rather than steadily?