Astronomy Online – Ch. 11 – Flashcards
Flashcard maker : Kael Dunlap
White dwarfs are so called because
they are both very hot and very small.
A teaspoonful of white dwarf material on Earth would weigh
a few tons
Which of the following is closest in size (radius) to a white dwarf?
the earth
After a massive-star supernova, what is left behind?
either a neutron star or a black hole
A teaspoonful of neutron star material on Earth would weigh
more than Mt. Everest.
Which of the following is closest in size (radius) to a neutron star?
a city
From a theoretical standpoint, what is a pulsar?
a rapidly rotating neutron star
How does a black hole form from a massive star?
During a supernova, if a star is massive enough for its gravity to overcome neutron degeneracy of the core, the core will be compressed until it becomes a black hole.
How do we know what happens at the event horizon of a black hole?
We don’t know for sure: we only know what to expect based on the predictions of general relativity.
If you were to come back to our Solar System in 6 billion years, what might you expect to find?
a white dwarf
