| Date | May 2013 | Marks available | 2 | Reference code | 13M.3.HL.TZ1.19 |
| Level | Higher level | Paper | Paper 3 | Time zone | Time zone 1 |
| Command term | Calculate | Question number | 19 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
This question is about black holes.
Sirius B has a mass of 2.0×1030 kg.
Calculate the minimum density required for Sirius B to become a black hole in the future.
Markscheme
\({R_S} = \frac{{2GM}}{{{c^2}}} = 2.96\left( {{\rm{km}}} \right)\);
ρ=1.8×1019(kgm-3);
Examiners report
Many candidates correctly calculated the Schwarzschild radius but an amazing number failed to calculate the density given the mass and radius. Many candidates did not know how to calculate the volume of a sphere.
Syllabus sections
Option A: Relativity » Option A: Relativity (Additional higher level option topics) » A.5 – General relativity (HL only)
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