Stars: past paper questions

Where the questions come from

• Question 39May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Towards the end of its life cycle, a red supergiant explodes and leaves behind a neutron star. What is the name of this type of explosion?

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• Question 40Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  What is never formed by the explosion of a red supergiant?

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• Question 39Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  What is the first stage in the life cycle of stars?

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• Question 9May/June 2026, paper 22Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Figure 9.1 shows the Sun and the orbits of three planets in the Solar System. Halley’s comet orbits around the Sun. The orbit of Halley’s comet passes through points X and Y and is closest to the Sun between the orbits of Mercury and Venus.

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• Question 40Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  What is a protostar?

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Structured10 marks

  A stable star in a distant galaxy has a mass that is more than 15 times the mass of the Sun. State the name of the nuclear reaction that occurs at the centre of the star and describe this nuclear reaction.

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2023, paper 22Structured10 marks

  In space, an interstellar cloud of dust and gas collapses to form a protostar. The cloud contains hydrogen. Describe the energy transfers that take place as the cloud collapses and forms the protostar.

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 9.1 shows how the Sun and the rest of the Solar System orbit around the centre of the Milky Way in a circular path. The Sun travels around the circular path at a speed $v$. The speed of light in a vacuum is $9.5\times {10}^{12}\text{ km}\mathrm{/}\text{year}$.

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• Question 8May/June 2024, paper 22Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 8.1 is a picture of a nebula formed from a supernova. State what is meant by ‘a supernova’.

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• Question 40May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  What is the nuclear reaction that takes place in stable stars?

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• Question 9May/June 2025, paper 21Structured10 marks

  The life cycle of a star begins with a large cloud of dust and gas which collapses. Five later stages of the life cycle of a very massive star are: black hole protostar red supergiant stable star supernova Place these stages in Table 9.1 in the order in which they occur.

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• Question 40May/June 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Four of the stages in the life cycle of a star, until it becomes a red giant, are shown. W Inward force of gravitational attraction is balanced by an outward force from its centre. X Internal gravitational collapse produces an increase in temperature.

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• Question 10May/June 2023, paper 22Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Astronomical distances are measured in light-years. State what is meant by ‘a light-year’.

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