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Chapter 16: Problem 26

Decide whether the statement makes sense (or is clearly true) or does not make sense (or is clearly false). Explain clearly; not all these have definitive answers, so your explanation is more important than your chosen answer. If Jupiter were 10 times more massive, we would consider it a brown dwarf, and if it were 100 times more massive, we would consider it a star.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The statement does not make sense: 10 times Jupiter's mass is not enough for a brown dwarf.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Brown Dwarfs

Brown dwarfs are substellar objects that are too massive to be planets but not massive enough to sustain hydrogen fusion reactions in their cores, which is the defining characteristic of true stars. Typically, brown dwarfs have masses between approximately 13 to 80 Jupiter masses.
02

Assessing 10 Times Jupiter's Mass

If Jupiter were 10 times more massive, it would be 10 times its current mass of around 1 Jupiter mass, which would make it approximately 10 Jupiter masses. This is below the lower limit for brown dwarfs (13 Jupiter masses), so it would still not qualify as a brown dwarf.
03

Understanding Star Mass Requirement

For an object to be considered a star, it must have sufficient mass to initiate hydrogen fusion in its core. The minimal mass required for hydrogen fusion is approximately 80 Jupiter masses.
04

Assessing 100 Times Jupiter's Mass

If Jupiter were 100 times more massive, it would exceed 80 Jupiter masses, crossing the threshold for initiating hydrogen fusion. Therefore, it would indeed be considered a star.
05

Evaluating the Statement

The statement suggests that if Jupiter were 10 times more massive it would be a brown dwarf, and if it were 100 times more massive it would be a star. While the latter part regarding 100 times mass is accurate, the former part regarding 10 times mass is incorrect.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Brown Dwarfs
Brown dwarfs are fascinating astronomical objects that occupy the boundary between planets and stars. They are sometimes referred to as 'failed stars' because, although they form in a similar way to stars, they do not have enough mass to sustain the nuclear fusion of hydrogen in their cores. This fusion is what powers true stars.
  • Brown dwarfs typically have masses that range from about 13 to 80 times the mass of Jupiter.
  • Below 13 Jupiter masses, an object is classified as a planet; above 80, it's a star.
When a brown dwarf is born, it shines faintly due to the heat generated during its formation, but without sustained fusion, it gradually cools and fades. This limiting factor on mass also explains why they are not considered full-fledged stars.
Planetary Mass
In astronomy, understanding planetary mass is crucial in classifying celestial objects. The mass of a planet affects its gravitational pull and its ability to retain an atmosphere. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system, with a mass 1/1000th that of the Sun, yet it has a substantial effect on its surroundings due to its significant mass.
  • A planet like Jupiter does not have enough mass to reach the stage of nuclear fusion.
  • If Jupiter's mass was increased tenfold, it would still be too low to be classified as a brown dwarf.
This shows the importance of mass in distinguishing between planets, brown dwarfs, and stars. Mass helps astronomers categorize objects by predicting how they behave based on their gravitational and nuclear attributes.
Stellar Formation
Stellar formation is the process by which dense regions within molecular clouds in interstellar space collapse to form stars. These clouds, made of gas and dust, require the right conditions, such as sufficient mass and temperature differences, to start collapsing under gravity.
  • Stars form when the core reaches a temperature high enough to trigger hydrogen fusion.
  • Objects without enough mass to achieve this remain as brown dwarfs or large planets.
By examining stellar formation, astronomers can differentiate between stars, brown dwarfs, and planets based on the conditions present during their birth.
Hydrogen Fusion
Hydrogen fusion is a critical process that defines a star. When the core of a forming star is hot and dense enough, hydrogen atoms begin to fuse to form helium, releasing energy in the process. This is known as nuclear fusion.
  • Nuclear fusion requires a minimum mass of about 80 Jupiter masses.
  • This energy release causes stars to shine brightly and stabilizes them against gravitational collapse.
Without hydrogen fusion, objects remain either brown dwarfs or planets, as they cannot generate the energy needed to classify them as stars. This process is central to understanding the lifecycle and classification of celestial bodies in astronomy.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

What is the interstellar medium? What is its chemical composition, and how do we measure it?

Be sure to show all calculations clearly and state your final answers in complete sentences. Life in a Molecular Cloud? As far as we know, molecular clouds are the only place other than planets that contain the kinds of complex molecules needed to support life, including water molecules and many more complex organic molecules. Do you think it is possible for life to exist in a molecular cloud? What would life have to be like to survive there?

Be sure to show all calculations clearly and state your final answers in complete sentences. Suppose you observe a binary system containing a main-sequence star and a brown dwarf. The orbital period of the system is 1 year, and the average separation of the system is 1 AU. You then measure the Doppler shifts of the spectral lines from the main-sequence star and the brown dwarf, finding that the orbital speed of the brown dwarf in the system is 20 times greater than that of the main-sequence star. How massive is the brown dwarf?

Decide whether the statement makes sense (or is clearly true) or does not make sense (or is clearly false). Explain clearly; not all these have definitive answers, so your explanation is more important than your chosen answer. Some of the stars in a star cluster live their entire lives and then die off before many of the cluster's stars initiate fusion.

Choose the best answer to each of the following. Explain your reasoning with one or more complete sentences. What slows down the contraction of a star-forming cloud when it makes a protostar? (a) production of fusion energy (b) magnetic fields (c) trapping of thermal energy inside the protostar
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