Activity: Star Classification - Weebly

[Pages:3]Activity: Star Classification

Pre-Activity Notes:

A star is an enormous, hot ball of gas held together by ________________. The gravity is so strong that it causes _____________________________ within the star. Stars are the only objects that heat & light the planets in a system. A star is a huge ball of ____________, usually made of ________________ (H) & _____________ (He). That ball of fire also gives off all kinds of light... There are __________________,

___________________, ___________________, & X-rays constantly emitted into space. Astronomers look at three main characteristics of stars. They study ______________________,

______________________, & ___________________ (size).

Part 1: Exploring with Classification

Each group will receive 1 set of 27 stars. Every star has: a color, name, temperature, size, & luminosity value

o The luminosity is compared to the sun's luminosity. If a star has a luminosity value of 5, then it is 5 times brighter than our sun. If a star has a luminosity value of 0.1, than it is 1/10 the brightness of our sun.

Explore the stars ? spread them out on your table & create 3 different arrangements. Record the 3 different arrangements in each data table below.

Arrangement #1 - We arranged our stars according to:

List 3 observations about this arrangement:

1. 2. 3.

Arrangement #2 - We arranged our stars according to:

List 3 observations about this arrangement:

1. 2. 3.

2003. Modified by E. Schumacher, 2009

Arrangement #3 - We arranged our stars according to:

List 3 observations about this arrangement:

1. 2. 3.

Part 2: Classification Challenge

Is there a master way to organize the stars using ALL of this information? Using the large whiteboard, try to plot all of your stars. You choose the Y- and X- axis. Draw what you came up with in the box, but only draw circles & dots to represent the stars. DO NOT

write the names of every star!!

X Axis:

Analysis & Conclusion:

Color & Temperature 1. What do you think color tells us about temperature? ____________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________ 2. A star's color depends on its temperature. Color in the boxes below to show what color a star burns at each

2003. Modified by E. Schumacher, 2009

Y Axis:

temperature:

Very Hot

Hot

Warm

Cool

Very Cool

Size 3. What can we say about medium sized stars? __________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What can we say about large stars? _________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________ Luminosity 5. What is the difference between luminosity & brightness? ________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What do you think temperature tells us about luminosity? _______________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________ 7. What do you think size tells us about luminosity? ______________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

Special Stars

8. Name one star that is cool & dim: _____________________________

What is its temperature? __________________ Luminosity value? __________________

9. Name one star that is cool & bright: _____________________________

What is its temperature? __________________ Luminosity value? __________________

10. Name one star that is hot & dim: _____________________________

What is its temperature? __________________ Luminosity value? __________________

11. Name one star that is hot & bright: _____________________________

What is its temperature? __________________ Luminosity value? __________________

12. Complete the table below. The first row is done for you. You may need a textbook!

Name of Special Star

Size

Temperature

Luminosity

Example

Blue Giant

Massive

Really Hot

Really Bright

Naos

Red Giant

Small

Hot

Dim

Supergiant

Blue Dwarf

Red Dwarf

2003. Modified by E. Schumacher, 2009

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