A radio astronomy club listens for pulses from a compact star. Fig. 1 shows a neutron star with a magnetic axis that is not aligned with its rotation axis. ...
Question 1 Report
A radio astronomy club listens for pulses from a compact star. Fig. 1 shows a neutron star with a magnetic axis that is not aligned with its rotation axis. A narrow beam of radiation sweeps through space as the star spins. The club receives a pulse only when the beam points towards Earth, rather like a rotating lighthouse.
(a) What is the usual name for this regularly pulsing object? [1]
(b) Describe why the radio signal is not detected continuously. [2]
(c) Which event can form a neutron star? [1]
(d) Give one reason why the neutron star has a very high density. [1]
Answer Details
(a) This regularly pulsing object is called a pulsar. [1]
(b) The radiation beam is narrow. As the neutron star rotates, the beam moves towards Earth and then away from Earth, so the radio signal is not detected continuously. [2]
(c) A neutron star can form in a supernova. [1]
(d) It has very high density because a large mass is compressed into a very small volume. [1]
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