Revision NotesExam QuestionsFlashcardsPast Papers
IGCSEPhysicsCambridge (CIE)Exam Questions6. Space PhysicsStars & The Universe

Stars & The Universe (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Physics)

Exam Questions

2 hours30 questions

Select a question set to download for
Stars & The Universe

Select an answer set to view for
Stars & The Universe

Easy
Medium
Hard
11 mark

Which two elements are the most commonly found in the Sun?

  • Hydrogen and oxygen

  • Helium and carbon

  • Hydrogen and helium

  • Nitrogen and oxygen

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

21 mark

Light from distant galaxies is redshifted when measured on Earth.

Which of the following ideas does this provide evidence for?

1. The Big Bang Theory

2. The Universe is expanding

3. Distant Galaxies are moving both towards us and away from us

  • 1 only

  • 1 and 2

  • 2 only

  • 1, 2 and 3

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

31 mark

Extended tier only

Which of the following describes the lifecycle of a star about the size of the Sun?

  • interstellar hydrogen clouds → protostar → main sequence star → red supergiant  → black hole

  • interstellar hydrogen clouds → planetary nebula → main sequence star → red giant  → protostar→ white dwarf

  • interstellar hydrogen clouds → protostar → main sequence star → red giant  → planetary nebula → white dwarf

  • interstellar hydrogen clouds → protostar → main sequence star → red supergiant  → neutron star

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

41 mark

Extended tier only

What does the constant 2.2 × 10–18 per second represent?

  • 1 light year

  • Red-shift

  • The CMBR

  • The Hubble constant

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

51 mark

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum does the Sun radiate most of its energy in?

  •  radio, visible and gamma

  •  infrared, visible and ultraviolet

  •  infrared, X-rays and gamma

  •  infrared, visible and gamma

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

11 mark

What is the correct description of the Milky Way?

  • Universe

  • Star

  • Galaxy

  • Nebula

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

21 mark

Which is the best description of redshift?

  • Distant galaxies only emit light from the red end of the spectrum.

  • Only red light can reach Earth from very distant stars.

  • Stars in the Milky Way mostly emit light at the red end of the spectrum,

  • The light received from distant galaxies is moved towards the red end of the spectrum.

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

31 mark

How many years would it take light to travel from the centre of the Milky Way to the outer edge?

  • 500 years 

  • 50 000 years

  • 100 000 years

  • 100 000 light years

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

41 mark

Extended tier only

What is the process which makes stable stars such as the Sun shine, and which element produced in the reaction?

 

Process

Element

A

fusion

oxygen

B

fission

hydrogen

C

fusion

helium

D

fission

hydrogen

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?

    51 mark

    Extended tier only

    Which of the following equations correctly represents the age of the Universe?

    • v space equals space H subscript 0 d

    • H subscript 0 space equals space v over d

    • 1 over H subscript 0 space equals space v over d

    • 1 over H subscript 0 space equals space d over v

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?

    11 mark

    Extended tier only

    Which is the correct value of one light year?

    • 9.5 × 1015 km

    • 9.5 × 1015 m

    • 9.5 × 1015 s

    • 9.5 × 1015 days

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?

    21 mark

    The planet Uranus has an average orbital radius of 4 500 million km. How long does it take light from the Sun to travel to Uranus?

    • 4 minutes

    • 1 hour

    • 4 hours

    • 4 days

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?

    31 mark

    Extended tier only

    Which row shows the correct methods for measuring galactic speeds and distances?

     

    Galactic speeds

    Galactic distances

    A

    redshift

    redshift

    B

    redshift

    brightness of supernovae

    C

    brightness of supernovae

    redshift

    D

    brightness of supernovae

    brightness of supernovae

      Choose your answer

      Did this page help you?

      41 mark

      Extended tier only

      Hubble's law gives an expression for the Hubble constant

      H subscript 0 space equals space v over d

      What does the equation allow astronomers to calculate?

      1. The distance to other galaxies

      2. The speed of galactic recession

      3. The age of the Universe

      • 1 only

      • 1 and 3

      • 3 only

      • 1, 2 and 3

      Choose your answer

      Did this page help you?

      51 mark

      Extended tier only

      The Andromeda galaxy is 2.5 million light-years away from Earth.

      What is the velocity of the galaxy as it moves away from Earth?

      • 5200 m/s

      • 52 km/s

      • 5.2 km/s

      • 520 km/s

      Choose your answer

      Did this page help you?