Deck 66: Exploding White Dwarfs

Question 1

A supernova type ___ is from a white dwarf explosion.

A) II
B) IIa
C) Ia
D) IIb

Answer 1

Ia

Question 2

Spiraling gas around an object is known as a(an) ____.

A) accretion disk
B) bipolar jets
C) Roche lobe
D) nova

Answer 2

accretion disk

Question 3

The Chandrasekhar limit is about

A) 4.1 times the mass of the Sun.
B) 1.4 times the mass of the Sun.
C) 3 times the mass of the Sun.
D) 14 times the mass of the Sun.

Answer 3

1.4 times the mass of the Sun.

Question 4

A white dwarf can explode in a supernova if it

A) acquires enough extra mass.
B) gets hot enough.
C) spins fast enough.
D) has a high enough velocity.

Question 5

When two stars are close enough to each other so that one may deposit material on its neighbor, this is known as _____.

Question 6

A red giant can fill an area called the ____.

Question 7

A recurrent nova is usually in a binary star system.

Question 8

Type II supernovas are white dwarf explosions.