DP Physics Questionbank

Description

Nature of science:

Reality: The systematic measurement of distance and brightness of stars and galaxies has led to an understanding of the universe on a scale that is difficult to imagine and comprehend. (1.1)

Understandings:

• Objects in the universe
• The nature of stars
• Astronomical distances
• Stellar parallax and its limitations
• Luminosity and apparent brightness

Applications and skills:

• Identifying objects in the universe
• Qualitatively describing the equilibrium between pressure and gravitation in stars
• Using the astronomical unit (AU), light year (ly) and parsec (pc)
• Describing the method to determine distance to stars through stellar parallax
• Solving problems involving luminosity, apparent brightness and distance

Guidance:

• For this course, objects in the universe include planets, comets, stars (single and binary), planetary systems, constellations, stellar clusters (open and globular), nebulae, galaxies, clusters of galaxies and super clusters of galaxies
• Students are expected to have an awareness of the vast changes in distance scale from planetary systems through to super clusters of galaxies and the universe as a whole

Data booklet reference:

Theory of knowledge:

• The vast distances between stars and galaxies are difficult to comprehend or imagine. Are other ways of knowing more useful than imagination for gaining knowledge in astronomy?

Utilization:

• Similar parallax techniques can be used to accurately measure distances here on Earth

Aims:

• Aim 1: creativity is required to analyse objects that are such vast distances from us
• Aim 6: local amateur or professional astronomical organizations can be useful for arranging viewing evenings
• Aim 9: as we are able to observe further into the universe, we reach the limits of our current technology to make accurate measurements

Directly related questions

• 18M.3.SL.TZ1.10a.ii: Distinguish between a planet and a comet. 
• 18M.3.SL.TZ1.10a.i: Distinguish between the solar system and a galaxy.
• 18M.3.SL.TZ2.11c.ii: The distance to Gacrux can be determined using stellar parallax. Outline why this method is not...
• 18M.3.SL.TZ2.11c.i: The luminosity of the Sun L\(_ \odot \) is 3.85 × 1026 W. Determine the luminosity of...
• 18M.3.SL.TZ2.11b: A main sequence star P, is 1.3 times the mass of the Sun. Calculate the luminosity of P relative...
• 18M.3.SL.TZ2.11a: Main sequence stars are in equilibrium under the action of forces. Outline how this equilibrium...
• 17M.3.SL.TZ2.11c.iii: The radius of a typical neutron star is 20 km and its surface temperature is 106 K. Determine the...
• 17M.3.SL.TZ2.11a: State the most abundant element in the core and the most abundant element in the outer layer.
• 17M.3.SL.TZ1.9b: Discuss how Theta 1 Orionis does not collapse under its own weight.
• 17M.3.SL.TZ1.9a.iv: Determine the distance of Theta 1 Orionis in AU.
• 17M.3.SL.TZ1.9a.iii: The surface temperature of the Sun is about 6000 K. Estimate the surface temperature of Theta 1...
• 17M.3.SL.TZ1.9a.i: State what is meant by a main sequence star.
• 16N.3.SL.TZ0.15b: (i) Calculate...
• 16N.3.SL.TZ0.15a: State what is meant by a binary star system.
• 16M.3.HL.TZ0.17c: Outline why astrophysicists use non-SI units for the measurement of astronomical distance.
• 16M.3.HL.TZ0.17b: Beta Centauri is a star in the southern skies with a parallax angle of 8.32×10−3 arc-seconds....
• 16M.3.SL.TZ0.13e: Predict the likely future evolution of Aldebaran.
• 16M.3.SL.TZ0.13d: Identify the element that is fusing in Aldebaran’s core at this stage in its evolution.
• 16M.3.SL.TZ0.13c: Outline how the light from Aldebaran gives evidence of its composition.
• 16M.3.SL.TZ0.13b: The radius of Aldebaran is 3.1×1010 m. Determine the luminosity of Aldebaran.
• 16M.3.SL.TZ0.13a: Show that the surface temperature of Aldebaran is about 4000 K.
• 16M.3.SL.TZ0.12c: Outline why astrophysicists use non-SI units for the measurement of astronomical distance.
• 16M.3.SL.TZ0.12b: Beta Centauri is a star in the southern skies with a parallax angle of 8.32×10−3 arc-seconds....
• 16M.3.SL.TZ0.12a: Describe one key characteristic of a nebula.
• 15M.3.SL.TZ1.15b: (i) Determine, in astronomical units (AU), the distance between Earth and Barnard’s star. (ii)...
• 15M.3.SL.TZ2.13c: The apparent brightness of C is 3.8 \( \times \) 10–10 Wm–2. The luminosity of the Sun is 3.9...
• 15M.3.SL.TZ2.13d: The graph shows the variation with wavelength λ of the intensity I of the radiation emitted by...
• 14M.3.SL.TZ1.11: This question is about comets. Outline the nature of a comet.
• 14M.3.HL.TZ1.3c: The luminosity of the Sun is 3.8×1026 W. Determine the mass of Sirius A relative to the mass of...
• 15N.3.SL.TZ0.14c: Suggest whether the distance from Earth to this star can be determined using spectroscopic parallax.
• 15N.3.SL.TZ0.14a: Outline why the star appears to have shifted from position A to position B.
• 15N.3.SL.TZ0.14b.i: Draw a diagram showing \(d\), \(D\) and \(\theta \).
• 15N.3.SL.TZ0.14b.ii: Explain the relationship between \(d\), \(D\) and \(\theta \).
• 15N.3.SL.TZ0.14b.iii: One consistent set of units for \(D\) and \(\theta \) are parsecs and arc-seconds. State one...
• 15N.3.SL.TZ0.15c: The following data are given for the Sun and a star Vega.      Luminosity of the Sun    ...
• 14N.3.SL.TZ0.15b.i: Describe the stellar parallax method.
• 14N.3.SL.TZ0.14a: Distinguish between a stellar cluster and a constellation.
• 14M.3.SL.TZ2.12a: State one difference between (i)     a main sequence star and a planet. (ii)     a stellar...
• 12M.3.SL.TZ1.13d: The distance to Naos may be determined by the method of stellar parallax. The diagram shows the...
• 11M.3.SL.TZ2.14a: Describe what is meant by a (i) constellation. (ii) stellar cluster.
• 11N.3.SL.TZ0.11c: Outline, using your answer to (b)(ii) and a labelled diagram, how the distance of Barnard’s star...
• 11N.3.SL.TZ0.11b: Barnard’s star is a main sequence star that is 1.8 pc from Earth. (i) Define the parsec. (ii)...
• 11N.3.SL.TZ0.11d: The apparent brightness of Barnard’s star is 3.6×10–12Wm–2 and its surface temperature is 3800...
• 12N.3.SL.TZ0.14b: Star A is part of a binary star system. The diagram shows the orbit of star A and the orbit of...
• 12N.3.SL.TZ0.14c: The diagram below shows the spectrum of the stars as observed from Earth. The spectrum shows one...
• 12M.3.SL.TZ2.13a: Aldebaran is a red giant star in the constellation of Taurus. (i) Describe the differences...
• 11M.3.SL.TZ1.14b: Explain, without doing any calculation, how astronomers can deduce that star B has a larger...
• 11M.3.SL.TZ1.14c: Using the following data and information from the HR diagram, show that star A is at a distance...
• 11M.3.SL.TZ1.14d: Explain why the distance of star A from Earth cannot be determined by the method of stellar...
• 10N.3.SL.TZ0.E1a: The stars Procyon A and Procyon B are both located in the same stellar cluster in the...