We Are Stardust Quiz

How many elements are found in nature? On the Periodic table? Why are these numbers not consistent?

92; 118. More elements are made via fission in labs than are naturally found.

How are elements heavier than gold forged?

Neutron star collisions

What element is the heaviest?

uranium

What are three reasons how I am related to the Big Bang?

-matter cannot be created/destroyed -all elements come from hydrogen and helium -hydrogen and helium were created by the Big Bang

What evidence supports the Big Bang theory?

1. cosmic background microwave radiation 2. cosmological redshift 3. element make-up is consistent across the universe

How old is the universe and how do we know this?

13.8 billion years; redshift calculations of old stars

What percentage of our galaxy is made up of elements heavier than helium? Has that number increased or decreased over time?

2%; increased over time as hydrogen and helium have undergone fusion and became other elements

What elements are forged during supernova events?

Elements between iron (26) and gold (79)

What is the Hubble Law?

Galaxies move at a speed proportional to their distance.

Why is the formation of heavy elements limited to supernova and neutron star collisions?

Heavy elements require lots of energy to fuse, which only supernovae and neutron star collisions can provide

Which element is the lightest?

Hydrogen

What elements are made as a result of cosmic rays?

Lithium, berellium, boron

How are elements heavier than 100 created?

Man-made in labs by scientists

How was CBM discovered? Why is it significant?

Orbiting detectors; provides evidence for the Big Bang and an expanding universe

Information about what is happening in the distant cosmos takes months to thousands of millennia to reach astronomers on Earth. What types of problems could that pose for these scientists, who study the universe?

Scientists cannot learn any information about the universe currently, only what it was like in the past

Why does a star die when there is a high concentration of iron atoms in its core? What is the consequence of the concentration?

Stars cannot produce enough energy to fuse iron atoms into larger ones, as iron is too heavy. Nuclear fusion typically provides energy to repel gravity, but with no fusion happening, gravity pulls the components of the star together and causes the core to collapse, leading to a red giant/supernova.

What is the relationship between the Big Bang, supernovas, neutron star collisions, and chemistry.

The 92 originally-occurring elements originate from the Big Bang (elements 1-2), cosmic ray interactions (3-5), nucleosynthesis (6-26), supernovae (27-79), and neutron star collisions (80-92).

What does nuclear fusion mean? Where does this occur in our galaxy?

The combination of the nuclei of light elements to make a heavier element. This occurs in the core of stars to form elements carbon through iron.

How abundant are cosmic ray elements? Why?

They are rare as cosmic ray interactions do not happen often

What is the abundance of hydrogen and helium across the universe? Why are they this abundant?

They are the two most abundant elements in the universe (make up 98%), as they were created from the same event and they spread out together across the universe

How rare are neutron star collisions?

They occur every 10,000 to 100,000 years

In what way do large stars die? How fast?

quickly, supernovas

What is cosmic background microwave radiation?

radiation left over from the Big Bang after the universe expanded and cooled

In what way do small to medium sized stars die? How fast?

slowly, by fizzling into a red giant

What is the origin of hydrogen and helium?

the Big Bang