10 (a) The Sun has a mass of 2.0 x 10^30 kg - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 10 - 2020 - Paper 1
Question 10
10 (a) The Sun has a mass of 2.0 x 10^30 kg.
A white dwarf has a mass of 3.4 x 10^29 kg.
Calculate the value of
mass of this white dwarf
mass of the Sun
(b) Figur... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:10 (a) The Sun has a mass of 2.0 x 10^30 kg - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 10 - 2020 - Paper 1
Step 1
Calculate the value of mass of this white dwarf / mass of the Sun
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Answer
To calculate the ratio of the mass of the white dwarf to the mass of the Sun, we use the formula:
mass ratio=mass of Sunmass of white dwarf
Substituting the given values:
mass ratio=2.0×1030 kg3.4×1029 kg
Evaluating this gives:
mass ratio=0.17
Step 2
Estimate the temperature of the Sun.
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Answer
From Figure 18, the temperature of the Sun is estimated to be around 5800 K, which is typical for main sequence stars.
Step 3
State how the brightness of a main sequence star changes with its temperature.
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Answer
The higher the brightness, the greater the temperature. This means that main sequence stars with higher temperatures emit more light.
Step 4
State how the brightness of a main sequence star changes with its mass.
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Answer
The greater the mass, the higher the brightness. Heavier stars tend to have greater luminosity.
Step 5
Describe what happens during nuclear fusion.
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Answer
During nuclear fusion, smaller nuclei, such as hydrogen nuclei, come together to form a larger nucleus.
This process requires high temperatures and pressure to overcome the repulsion between the positively charged nuclei.
As the nuclei fuse, a significant amount of energy is released, which powers stars like the Sun.
Step 6
Explain how a nebula may evolve into a main sequence star.
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Answer
A nebula, which is a cloud of gas and dust, contracts under its own gravity.
As gas and dust pull together, gravitational forces increase, raising the temperature within the core of the collapsing material.
Once the temperature is high enough, nuclear fusion can initiate, allowing the nebula to evolve into a main sequence star.
