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AQA GCSE · Question 03.2 · Space physics
Some main sequence stars will eventually form black holes. Table 3 gives the mass of four stars. Which star in Table 3 is most likely to form a black hole?
Table 3:
Star | Mass in kg
--- | ---
Arcturus | 2.2 x 10³⁰
Betelgeuse | 2.2 x 10³¹
Cygni A | 1.4 x 10³⁰
The Sun | 2.0 x 10³⁰
Some main sequence stars will eventually form black holes. Table 3 gives the mass of four stars. Which star in Table 3 is most likely to form a black hole?
Table 3:
Star | Mass in kg
--- | ---
Arcturus | 2.2 x 10³⁰
Betelgeuse | 2.2 x 10³¹
Cygni A | 1.4 x 10³⁰
The Sun | 2.0 x 10³⁰
How to approach this question
The formation of a black hole is a possible end-stage for a star's life cycle. This fate is reserved for a specific type of star. Does it happen to small stars or very large stars? Compare the masses in the table to identify the largest one.
Full Answer
Betelgeuse
A star's final fate depends on its initial mass.
- Low-mass stars (like the Sun) end up as white dwarfs.
- High-mass stars end up as neutron stars.
- Only the most massive stars have sufficient gravitational force to overcome all other forces and collapse into a black hole after a supernova explosion.
To find which star is most likely to form a black hole, we must identify the most massive star in the table.
- Arcturus: 2.2 x 10³⁰ kg
- Betelgeuse: 2.2 x 10³¹ kg = 22 x 10³⁰ kg
- Cygni A: 1.4 x 10³⁰ kg
- The Sun: 2.0 x 10³⁰ kg
Comparing the masses, Betelgeuse has the largest mass (due to the higher power of 10), so it is the most likely to form a black hole.
Common mistakes
✗ Choosing any other star. The key is to correctly compare the numbers in standard form.\n✗ Misinterpreting the powers of 10, for example thinking 10³⁰ is larger than 10³¹.
Practice the full AQA GCSE Physics Higher Tier Paper 2
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