Study Guide for the Second Exam, October 26, 2005

Here is a study guide for the second exam. Please note that when an entire section of a chapter is listed, with the section number, this indicates that you are responsible for the whole section. When a specific topic or question is listed (no section number), you are responsible for just that topic.

The exam will cover chapters 14 to 22.

Chapter 4: Radiation and Spectra

The material in chapter 4 is used heavily in the other chapters, especially chapter 16. These are the topics of relevance from chapter 4. I encourage you to review them.

Atoms and the periodic chart.
4.1 The Nature of Light
4.2 The Electromagnetic Spectrum
Blackbody or thermal spectra
Absorption and emission spectra.
The structure of atoms.
Energy levels in atoms and the relation to spectra.
The doppler effect.

Chapter 14: The Sun: A Garden-Variety Star

14.1 Outer Layers of the Sun
What are sunspots? Why do they appear black?
14.2.2 The Sunspot Cycle
14.3.2 Solar flares and their effects.
14.4 Is the Sun a Variable Star?

Chapter 15: The Sun: A Nuclear Powerhouse

The meaning of E=mc².
The energy source of the Sun is nuclear fusion.
The particles involved in fusion (proton, neutron, electron, positron, neutrino). Also good to know their charges (+,-,0) and roughly what their masses are (which are heavy, which are light, which are massless).
The structure of atoms.
The structure of nuclei.
15.2.6 The p-p chain.
The composition of the nuclei involved in the P-P cycle (i.e. ³He consists of 2 protons and 1 neutron.
Where in the Sun does fusion occur?
15.3.2 The Sun is Stable
How does heat make its way out of the Sun (radiation and convection)?
How long does it take a photon from the core to get out of the Sun?
How long does it take a neutrino to get out of the Sun?
Experiments to detect neutrinos from the Sun. Why are they important?

Chapter 16: Analyzing Starlight

The difference between brightness and luminosity.
The relation between color and surface temperature of a star.
16.3.1 The Formation of Stellar Spectra
16.4 Spectroscopy: The Key to the Universe

Chapter 17: The Stars: A Celestial Census

The logic of piecing together the lifecycle of stars by observing many stars at different stages of their lives.
17.1 A Stellar Census
17.2 Measuring Stellar Masses
17.3 Diameters of Stars
17.4 The H-R Diagram

Chapter 18: Celestial Distances

What is an astronomical unit (AU) and how is it determined?
How is a star's distance determined by parallax.
What is the distance limit for parallax measurements?
The nearest stars.
18.3 Variable Stars: One Key to Cosmic Distances
18.4 The H-R Diagram and Cosmic Distances
What sort of arguments lead us to conclude that stars generate energy like our Sun?

Chapter 19: Between the Stars: Gas and Dust in Space

19.1 The Interstellar Medium
19.2 Interstellar Gas
The effects of interstellar dust to obscure stars.

Chapter 20: The Birth of Stars and the Search for Planets Outside the Solar System

Where are stars likely to form?
What is a protostar?
Which stars form faster, high mass or low mass?
Why can't we see the earliest stages of star formation?
20.2 The H-R Diagram and the Study of Stellar Evolution
20.3 Evidence that Planets Form Around Other Stars
20.4 Planets Beyond the Solar System: Search and Discovery

Chapter 21: Stars: From Adolescence to Old Age

21.1 Evolution from the Main Sequence to Giants
What are star clusters; what are the 3 types?
How star clusters are used to check the theory of stellar evolution
The Evolution of More Massive Stars
Fusing of heavier elements (helium, carbon) in stars
Synthesis of the heaviest elements possible

Chapter 22: The Death of Stars

22.1 The Death of Low-Mass Stars
The differences between a white dwarf, neutron star, and black hole
The steps leading up to a supernova explosion
The characteristics of a supernova explosion
The connection between supernovae and heavy elements
22.3 Supernova Observations
Observational facts about supernova 1987a
22.5 The Evolution of Binary Star Systems