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Date May 2016 Marks available 1 Reference code 16M.3.SL.TZ0.13
Level Standard level Paper Paper 3 Time zone Time zone 0
Command term Identify Question number 13 Adapted from N/A

Question

Aldebaran is a red giant star with a peak wavelength of 740 nm and a mass of 1.7 solar masses.

Show that the surface temperature of Aldebaran is about 4000 K.

[2]
a.

The radius of Aldebaran is 3.1×1010 m. Determine the luminosity of Aldebaran.

[2]
b.

Outline how the light from Aldebaran gives evidence of its composition.

[2]
c.

Identify the element that is fusing in Aldebaran’s core at this stage in its evolution.

[1]
d.

Predict the likely future evolution of Aldebaran.

[3]
e.

Markscheme

\(T = \frac{{2.9 \times {{10}^{ - 3}}}}{{740 \times {{10}^{ - 9}}}}\)
3900 K
Answer must be to at least 2SF.

a.

L=5.67×10-8×4π×(3.1×1010)2×40004

=1.8×1029W

Accept use of 39004 to give 1.6×1029W.

b.

absorption lines in spectra

are specific to particular elements

Accept “emission lines in spectra”.

c.

helium

d.

helium flash
expansion of outer shell OR surface temperature increase
planetary nebula phase
only the core remains
if below 1.4MS/Chandrasekhar limit then white dwarf

e.

Examiners report

[N/A]
a.
[N/A]
b.
[N/A]
c.
[N/A]
d.
[N/A]
e.

Syllabus sections

Option D: Astrophysics » Option D: Astrophysics (Core topics) » D.1 – Stellar quantities
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