21st Century Astronomy
6th Edition
ISBN: 9780393428063
Author: Kay
Publisher: NORTON
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Chapter 14, Problem 20QP
To determine
Why fission can’t power the sun.
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Explain in detail the
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Chapter 14 Solutions
21st Century Astronomy
Ch. 14.1 - Prob. 14.1ACYUCh. 14.1 - Prob. 14.1BCYUCh. 14.2 - Prob. 14.2CYUCh. 14.3 - Prob. 14.3CYUCh. 14.4 - Prob. 14.4CYUCh. 14 - Prob. 1QPCh. 14 - Prob. 2QPCh. 14 - Prob. 3QPCh. 14 - Prob. 4QPCh. 14 - Prob. 5QP
Ch. 14 - Prob. 6QPCh. 14 - Prob. 7QPCh. 14 - Prob. 8QPCh. 14 - Prob. 9QPCh. 14 - Prob. 10QPCh. 14 - Prob. 11QPCh. 14 - Prob. 12QPCh. 14 - Prob. 13QPCh. 14 - Prob. 14QPCh. 14 - Prob. 15QPCh. 14 - Prob. 16QPCh. 14 - Prob. 17QPCh. 14 - Prob. 18QPCh. 14 - Prob. 19QPCh. 14 - Prob. 20QPCh. 14 - Prob. 21QPCh. 14 - Prob. 22QPCh. 14 - Prob. 23QPCh. 14 - Prob. 24QPCh. 14 - Prob. 25QPCh. 14 - Prob. 26QPCh. 14 - Prob. 27QPCh. 14 - Prob. 28QPCh. 14 - Prob. 29QPCh. 14 - Prob. 30QPCh. 14 - Prob. 31QPCh. 14 - Prob. 34QPCh. 14 - Prob. 35QPCh. 14 - Prob. 36QPCh. 14 - Prob. 37QPCh. 14 - Prob. 38QPCh. 14 - Prob. 39QPCh. 14 - Prob. 40QPCh. 14 - Prob. 41QPCh. 14 - Prob. 42QPCh. 14 - Prob. 43QPCh. 14 - Prob. 44QPCh. 14 - Prob. 45QP
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- Explain how we know that the Sun’s energy is not supplied either by chemical burning, as in fires here on Earth, or by gravitational contraction (shrinking).arrow_forwardNow suppose that all of the hydrogen atoms in the Sun were converted into helium. How much total energy would be produced? (To calculate the answer, you will have to estimate how many hydrogen atoms are in the Sun. This will give you good practice with scientific notation, since the numbers involved are very large! See Appendix C for a review of scientific notation.)arrow_forwardSomeone suggests that astronomers build a special gamma-ray detector to detect gamma rays produced during the proton-proton chain in the core of the Sun, just like they built a neutrino detector. Explain why this would be a fruitless effort.arrow_forward
- Why is fission not an important energy source in the Sun?arrow_forwardThe Sun is currently about 4.4 billion years old. How much longer does it have before it runs out of Hydrogen? Answer in billions of years.arrow_forwardThe energy-releasing nuclear fusion reactions in the Sun are illustrated below. Which choice below best describes the last reaction of the series? He He Pratan Y Ganmaay Не Nan V Ptran 1-H and 1-H fusing to form a 2-Hh O 2-H and 1-H fusing to form a 3-He 3-He and 3-He fusing together to form 4-He (and re-releasing two 1-H)arrow_forward
- 1. The mass of the Sun is about 2x10³0 kg. The Sun was about 72% hydrogen when it first formed. About 11% of the total amount of the Sun's hydrogen is available for fusion within the Sun's core. [3 points] (a) What is the total mass of hydrogen available for fusion, in kg? (b) The Sun fuses about 600 billion kg of hydrogen each second. Calculate how long the Sun's initial supply of hydrogen can last. Give your answer in both seconds and years. Hint: use the result you calculated in part (a). (c) We know that our Solar System is about 4.5 billion years old. Using your calculation above, how much longer do we have until the Sun runs out of hydrogen?arrow_forwardWhy was the detection of solar neutrinos important? a) They have been suggested as an important source of solar energy. b) They provide direct evidence for solar oscillations. c) The provide direct evidence for the proton-proton chain. Where does nuclear energy production (fusion) occur in the Sun? a) In the nuclear zone b) In all layers of the Sun c) In the photosphere d) In the corearrow_forwardThe sunspot cycle affects I. the latitude at which sunspots are visible at a given time. II. the number of sunspots that are visible at a given time. III. the rotation rate of the sun’s equator at a given time. IV. the magnetic polarity of the sunspots at a given time. a. I & II b. I & IV c. II & III d. I, II & III e. I, II, & IVarrow_forward
- Astronomers can determine the heat of various areas of the universe by making observations about energy they emit. Gamma rays can be found in areas where there is a lot of star formation occurring. What would you guess about the temperature of these areas? Explain why.Do you think there would be a lot of particles present? Explain why.arrow_forwardMultiple Choice During the intermediate step of solar nuclear fusion a. 1 deuterium fuse with 1 proton making helium-3 b. 2 protons fuse together making helium-3 c. 2 deuterium nuclei fuse together making helium-3 d. 1 deuterium fuse with 1 proton making helium-4arrow_forwardWhy the sun does not get ripped apart by the outwards pressure of nuclear fusion?arrow_forward
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