What observational properties of pulsars allowed astronomers to discover them as a new type of object?
What will be an ideal response?
A pulsar emits a very regular pattern of radiation in the radio band. The pulsation period is extremely constant and has a period between a few tenths of a second and a few seconds. Such a regular pattern of radiation was unexpected in nature, and clearly represented a new phenomenon.
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When four hydrogen nuclei fuse to make helium, a small amount of matter is lost. What is the mass difference and energy generated? The mass of hydrogen and helium nuclei are 1.67 × 10^–27 kg and 6.646 × 10^–27 kg, respectively
a. 0.034 × 10^–27 kg, 3 × 10^–12 J b. 0.022 × 10^–27 kg, 2 × 10^–12 J c. 0.068 × 10^–27 kg, 6 × 10^–12 J d. 0.011 × 10^–27 kg, 1 × 10^–12 J
Collisions in Two Dimensions: A car (of mass 1500 kg) and a small truck (of mass 2000 kg) collide suddenly at right angles at an icy intersection. The car was originally traveling eastward at 20.0 m/s and the truck was traveling northward at 20.0 m/s just before the collision took place. What is the speed of the combined wreck just after the collision if the vehicles become enmeshed?
Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).
Which of the following statements is not a prediction of the general theory of relativity?
A) Time runs slightly slower on the surface of the Sun than on the surface of Earth. B) The Universe has no boundaries and no center. C) The curvature of spacetime can distort the appearance of distant objects. D) Different observers can disagree about the fundamental structure of spacetime. E) A binary star system with two stars orbiting each other rapidly emits gravitational waves.
Material objects cannot be accelerated up to lightspeed because
A) their length decreases [toward zero] as they approach lightspeed. B) of the curvature of space, which increases toward infinite curvature as the object approaches lightspeed. C) their inertia increases [toward infinity, i.e., without bound] as they approach lightspeed. D) nothing can move at the speed of light. E) Nonsense--objects can be sped up to lightspeed, as we can see from the example of light itself.