Lecture 3: Matter the Stuff of Planets and Life: Part II: It’s all about Phases Flashcards
(11 cards)
4 states of matter
solid, liquid, gas, plasma
increasing energy left to right
quark stars and black holes [keep if this is last need to know point]
upper limit to the mass of a neutron-degenerate object is the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff limit
analogous to the Chandrasekhar limit for electron-degenerate objects
precisely limit is unknown, but above this limit, a neutron star may collapse into a black hole
interior of black holes may they contain quark degenerate matter
may also occur in hypothetical ‘quark stars’
centre of black hole is singularity ring where density is infinite
how do you read a phase diagram?
allows us to predict the state of matter at given pressures and temperatures
…
how to draw a basic phase diagram
what is the significance of the negative melting curve?
found in water, meaning its liquid form turns to ice and can kill life in ponds etc
explain the changes in the history of water on mars using a phase diagram
pressure and temperature higher on mars in the past, in the liquid state of matter
pressure and temperature lower on mars today, on the triple point where solids, liquids, and gases coexist
[image]
what is plasma and where is it found?
hot ionised gas known as the fourth state of matter, that doesn’t contain molecules like solid, liquid, gas, but is a gas that is composed of ions
hot plasmas in nature include the sun, lightning, and the aurora borealis
what is degenerate matter and where is it found?
collection of free, non-interacting particles that occur at very high density or low temperature/ pressure
found in white dwarfs and neutron stars
what is the astrobiological consequences and relevance of different types of matter?
what are white dwarfs?
what are neutron stars?
made from neutron degenerate gas
as the star collapses, the energy of the electrons increases to the point where it is energetically favourable for them to combine with protons to produce neutrons
high gravitational forces which result in a star with diameter on the order of a thousandth that of a white dwarf
