Winter HW4 Description: Strange Stars
In this homework you will work on some of the various types of stars we have explored in this
class, from brown dwarfs to protostars, from low to high mass stars, this homework will cover
them all. Make sure to write all answers in your own words for full points.
Name_____________________________
Student Number_____________________________
1. [10 pts] Some of the strangest stars are protostars, see if you can answer the following:
a. What is a protostar?
b. Is a protostar in energy balance? Why or why not?
2. [10 pts] The strange behaviour of stars during formation means we have to carefully consider
what their situation is. Give your best description for the following:
a. Why does it make sense for star-forming clouds to be cold and dense?
b. What event brings the forming star into energy balance?
3. [10 pts] What have you learned about star behaviour? Enter your best answer for the following:
a. If you had a normal spectral sequence, ‘OBAFGKM’ would give you the stars in order of
decreasing temperature, what would the sequence be if you listed those SAME
spectral types for main sequence stars in order of INCREASING mass?
b. What is the fate of an isolated brown dwarf?
4. [16 pts] This question requires you to MATCH the number on the right to the correct keyword
on the left.
In this homework you will work on some of the various types of stars we have explored in this
class, from brown dwarfs to protostars, from low to high mass stars, this homework will cover
them all. Make sure to write all answers in your own words for full points.
Name_____________________________
Student Number_____________________________
1. [10 pts] Some of the strangest stars are protostars, see if you can answer the following:
a. What is a protostar?
b. Is a protostar in energy balance? Why or why not?
2. [10 pts] The strange behaviour of stars during formation means we have to carefully consider
what their situation is. Give your best description for the following:
a. Why does it make sense for star-forming clouds to be cold and dense?
b. What event brings the forming star into energy balance?
3. [10 pts] What have you learned about star behaviour? Enter your best answer for the following:
a. If you had a normal spectral sequence, ‘OBAFGKM’ would give you the stars in order of
decreasing temperature, what would the sequence be if you listed those SAME
spectral types for main sequence stars in order of INCREASING mass?
b. What is the fate of an isolated brown dwarf?
4. [16 pts] This question requires you to MATCH the number on the right to the correct keyword
on the left.
