AST201H1 Midterm: Midterm 2 Review Questions with Answers

• School: UTSG
• Department: Astronomy & Astrophysics
• Course: AST201H1
• Professor: Stefan Mochnacki

Document Summary

Earth"s orbit will remain the same and the sun will just be a black hole. The force of gravity depends on mass involved. Suddenly helium will start to fuse (helium flash) as its hotter and fusion will continue until helium in the core runs out leaving carbon ash (moves to the horizontal branch). Carbon can"t produce much energy so it cools and contracts (the core) Electron degeneracy pressure, however, stops further contraction- law of physics. However, the helium-shell burning creates enough energy to blow outer layers off as planetary nebula, leaving a white dwarf. White dwarf because it is a low mass star (<8msun) and it"ll blow up a planetary nebula as well. The monster is in the centre of the galaxy- milky way. We can"t see the centre (visible light is blocked by dust) but x-rays, radio and infrared can. It was observed to have swirling gas near the centre and stars orbiting a common centre of mass.