Questions for Final

The final will be comprehensive and cover material from all previous tests. Here are some additional questions covering topics discussed since Test 4. The answers can be found in chapter 6 (Paneck) and the notes posted on the website (Origins I and Origins II)

1. From what type of astronomical objects do stars form? Can we see these objects with a telescope? Can any be seen with the naked eye?
2. Elements heavier than hydrogen arise from a process known as nucleosynthesis. Exactly what is nucleosynthesis? Where and when does it occur?
3. In what stage of a star’s life (beginning, middle or end) does a star become a red giant?
4. What property of a star determines whether it ultimately becomes a white dwarf, neutron star or black hole?
5. How are each of these objects detected? White dwarf __________ Neutron Star _________ Black Hole __________
6. Why do astronomy textbooks say “we are all made of star stuff”?
7. Who discovered pulsars in 1967? What were the circumstances of this discovery?
8. What is the Cosmological Principle?
9. What is the Perfect Cosmological Principle?
10. What two things did George Gamow’s model of the creation of the universe predict?
11. Who coined the term “Big Bang”? Why is this considered ironic?
12. Describe briefly the Steady State Universe.
13. Describe briefly the Big Bang model of the universe.
14. Which model, the Steady State or the Big Bang satisfies the Perfect Cosmological Principle?
15. Edwin Hubble determined that all but the very nearest galaxies are red shifted. What would an alien astronomer on a galaxy 1 billion light see if she (he/it) took spectra of all galaxies visible from her vantage point? Would she conclude that all galaxies (except the nearest) were moving away from her?
16. How is the age of the universe estimated using the Hubble constant?
17. What discovery was made by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson in 1964? Which model of the universe did this discovery strengthen? Why?