Download Chapter 10

Chapter 11
1. Describe the properties of a white dwarf.
2. Describe the evolution and deaths of the most massive stars, including Type II
supernovae and supernova remnants.
3. Describe the nature and properties of a neutron star
4. Describe the discovery and nature of pulsars.
5. Describe the nature and properties of a black hole.
6. Describe observational attempts to verify the existence of black holes.
7. What is meant by the terms “event horizon” and “Schwarzschild radius” and
what is their relation to the mass of a black hole?
Chapter 12
1. Draw two labeled sketches of the Milky Way Galaxy, one as seen from the
side, and one as seen from the “top”; describe the structure and components of
the galaxy.
2. How is the mass of the Milky Way measured, and how does this lead to the
concept of dark matter?
3. How are the spiral arms of the Milky Way detected, and what is their nature?
4. Discuss the reason for the differences between population I and population II
stars.
5. Describe the characteristics of and differences between open and globular
clusters.
6. What is the observational evidence that something strange is happening in the
nucleus of our Galaxy, and what is the probable explanation?
7. Describe the factors involved in galactic formation, including the role of
collisions between galaxies.
8. Be able to identify a galaxy by its shape, according to the Hubble sequence.
9. Compare and contrast elliptical galaxies and spiral galaxies.
10. Describe the different types of active galaxies, and the mechanisms proposed
to explain their energy output and other characteristics.
11. Briefly relate the story of the discovery of quasars
12. Describe the current explanation of quasars and their energy sources.
CHAPTER 13
1. What is the observational evidence that some so-called “nebulae” are actually
entire galaxies far outside our own galaxy?
2. What is meant by the “period luminosity relation” of the Cepheid variables, and
how can this be used as a distance indicator to the stars?
3. State in your own words what the Hubble law really says and what its
implications are concerning the expansion of the universe.
4. How can you estimate the age of the Universe from the Hubble constant?
CHAPTER 14
1. Relate the story of the discovery of the microwave background radiation,
including the roles of Gamow, Dicke, Penzias and Wilson.
2. Briefly relate the early history of the universe, starting from 10-43 second.
3. Compare the Big Bang with the Steady State theory and discuss the
observational evidence for the Big Bang.
4. What is meant by “inflation”, and what problems does it solve in the Big Bang
theory?
5. What did the COBE satellite discover and what do the WMAP measurements of
the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation tell us?
6. How was it discovered that the expansion of the universe is accelerating, and
what are the latest findings in this area?
7. What is cold dark matter? Why is the cold dark necessary to describe the
evolution of the Universe?
8. What is the evidence for the existence of “dark energy”, and what are the
possible explanations for it?