Physics 5 (Option): Mod 3 - Classification of Stars

Classification by temperature & Black body radiation
1. Stefan's law and Wein's displacement law
  1. Use to estimate black body temperature
  2. Use to estimate area needed for a given power output
2. Shape of black body curves
3. Inverse square law
  1. Assumptions in application
4. Assumption that a star is a black body
Classification by luminosity
1. Relationship between brightness and apparent magnitude
Apparent magnitude, m
1. Relationship between intensity and apparent magniture
Absolute magnitude, M
1. Parsec and light year
2. Definition
3. Relation to apparent magnitude
Stellar spectral classes
1. Main classes (O,B,A,F,G,K,M)
  1. Intrinsic colour
  2. Temperature
  3. Absorption lines
2. Hydrogen Balmer absorption lines
  1. Need for atoms in n=2 state
Hertzsprung-Russell diagram
1. General shape
  1. Main sequence
  2. Dwarfs
  3. Giants
2. Axis scales
  1. Absolute magnitude
  2. Temperature or spectral class
3. Stellar evolution
  1. Path of a star similar to our Sun
Supernovae, neutron stars and black holes
1. Defining properties of each
2. Use of supernovae as standard candles
3. Controversy about acceleration of Universe
  1. Basic knowledge of dark energy
4. Supermassive black holes at the centre of gallaxies
5. Calculation of Schwarzchild radius

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	Created by chloeap about 10 years ago

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	Copied by chloeap about 10 years ago