astronomy

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What is Fusion?

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What is Fusion?

Fusion is a reaction in which atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus with the release of energy.

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What are the two things that are produced by nuclear fusion?

Heavier elements, and energy.

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What kind of elements are created during fusion?

Elements up to Iron on the periodic table.

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What is the heaviest element that can form through fusion in stars?

Iron

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What is an atom?

The smallest unit of any element.

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What is an Element?

An element is a specific type of atom, determined by the number of protons in its nucleus. The element of an atom determines its properties.

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What particles make up an atom?

Protons - Positively charged, exist in the atom’s nucleus.

Neutrons - No charge, exist in the atom’s nucleus.

Electrons - Negatively charged, exist outside of the atom’s nucleus.

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What determines what element a particular atom is?

The number of protons in its nucleus.

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What determines the life cycles of stars?

The star’s mass.

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What are the stages for stars with mass similar to the Sun?

(Protostar) > Main Sequence > Red Giant > Planetary Nebula > White Dwarf

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What are the stages for stars with mass 5-20 times larger than the Sun?

(Protostar) > Blue Supergiant > Red Giant > Supernova > Neutron Star

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What are the stages for stars with mass larger than 20 times the Sun?

(Protostar) > Blue Supergiant > Supernova > Black Hole

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How are star mass and star life span related?

The more mass a star has, the shorter its lifespan will be.

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What is a stellar nebula?

A cloud of gas and dust in space where stars are born.

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What causes the gas and dust in a stellar nebula to collapse?

Gravity

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What  process starts when a star is born?

Nuclear Fusion

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What is the name for the process of gas in a stellar nebula becoming solid?

Condensation

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What is the name of the process of smaller objects clumping together to form larger

objects in a stellar nebula?

Accretion

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What happens to the rotation of the stellar nebula as it collapses?

The rotation speeds up.

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What is radioactive decay?

The process by which an unstable atom turns into a different atom, accompanied by the release of radiation.

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What is an isotope? Give several examples

Versions of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons. (e.g. Carbon-14 vs. Carbon-13 vs. Carbon-12. All of these have 6 protons because they are Carbon, but respectively have 8, 7, and 6 neutrons making up the rest of their mass)

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What is a half life?

The amount of time it takes on average for half of a radioactive sample to decay.

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What percent chance does one atom have of decaying during one half life?

50%

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What percentage of a rock that begins as 100% U-235 will be lead-207 after 1 half life? After 2 half lifes? After 3 half lifes? (Assume all lead-207 is produced through uranium-235 decay)

50%, 75%, 87.5%

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Why do different isotopes have different length half lifes?

Their differing masses give them different levels of stability.

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