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Classification of stars (A-level only)

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Question 10

Table 1 shows some data for the star HD 21389:

  • Surface temperature: 16 500 K16\,500\text{ K}16500 K
  • Absolute magnitude: −3.15-3.15−3.15
  • Mass: 1.4×1031 kg1.4 \times 10^{31}\text{ kg}1.4×1031 kg

The apparent magnitude of HD 21389 is 4.654.654.65.

1.

State the spectral class of HD 21389.

[1]
2.

Calculate, in pc\text{pc}pc, the distance from HD 21389 to the Earth.

[3]
Markscheme

Classification of stars (A-level only) Questions

  1. A Level
  2. /Physics
  3. /Classification of stars (A-level only)

18 exam-style questions on AQA A Level Physics Classification of stars (A-level only), covering Classification by luminosity (A-level only), Absolute magnitude, *M* (A-level only), Classification by temperature, black-body radiation (A-level only), Principles of the use of stellar spectral classes (A-level only), The Hertzsprung–Russell (HR) diagram (A-level only), and Supernovae, neutron stars and black holes (A-level only). Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.

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