University of Gothenburg

Department of Physics

Stellar structure and evolution, ASF060/RRY110

Date: August 24th, 830 - 1330

Location: V
Examiner: Ulf Torkelsson, phone 031-772 3136 (work), 031-451404 (home),
0733-261681 (mobile), e-mail: torkel@physics.gu.se; Please note that the exam-
iner is travelling in China on the date of the exam, and is therefore difficult to
contact. The best chance is probably an SMS to +46 31 733 261681.
Allowed equipment: Physics Handbook or similar tables (the tables must be
free of personal notes, except for corrections of misprints or errors), calculator
(the memory of the calculator must be empty).
The solutions will be available on the course web page on Wednesday September
1st. Results will be available at the latest on Tuesday September 20th. The
exams can be inspected at Physics, Room O5113, on Tuesday September 20th
11.45 - 12.15.

Each problem gives a maximum of 3 points. Grades: Failed: 0 - 8 points; Passed

(G) 8.5 - 13 points; Passed with honours (VG) 13.5 - points. Exams will also
be graded using ECTS-grades.
Provide complete solutions to the problems. All significant steps must be in-
cluded in the solutions.

1. Astronomers suspect that large amounts of gas is ejected from some galax-
ies by a series of supernova explosions. For one galaxy it was found that
this ejection requires a kinetic energy of 1052 J over a time span of 30 mil-
lion years. How many type II supernovae per year are required if 0.1M is
converted to energy in each supernova, and that 1% of this is injected as
kinetic energy into the surrounding interstellar medium? What happens
with the rest of the energy that is released in a type II supernova? What
is the difference between a type II and a type Ia supernova?

2. The matter in a white dwarf behaves as a polytrope following the equation

of state
P ∝ ρ5/3 .
Use this and the equation of hydrostatic equilibrium to show that

R ∝ M −1/3 .

3. Derive the virial theorem for a star.

1
4. Show that the temperature distribution close to the centre of a convective
star is
4πGρc mg 2
T = Tc − r .
15k
5. Explain why stars in general form in clusters rather than one by one.
6. Discuss how stars can lose mass through stellar winds, and which role such
mass losses play in their evolution.