How hot and how bright?

How hot and how bright?

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about reading a graph about brightness and temperature of stars.
graph of luminosity and temperature for stars

Question 1Change answer

a)  Which star type has a temperature of 5000°C and a luminosity (brightness) of 70,000? 

Question 1Change answer

b)  Write in the temperature and luminosity for "Supergiants".
Luminosity:  
Temperature: °C

Question 2Change answer

c)  On the graph luminosity is compared with our Sun. What does a luminosity of 1000 mean?
Task administration: 
This task can be completed using pencil and paper or online.
Copyright: 
Graphic: Copyright NZCER.
Level:
4
Curriculum info: 
Science, Communicating in science, Planet Earth
Keywords: 
astronomical systems, stars, graph interpretation
Description of task: 
Task: Answer questions about the temperature and brightness of types of stars. Assessment focus: interpreting a graph.
Curriculum Links: 
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask.
 
Capability: Interpret representations
Scientists represent their ideas in a variety of ways, including models, graphs, charts, diagrams and written texts. This resource provides opportunities to discuss reading a graph and the importance of labelling the axes of graphs to enable the graph to be interpreted correctly.
Science capabilities: 
Interpret representations
Answers/responses: 

 

Y9 (03/2000)

a)

Red giants

easy

b)

A luminosity given within the range 10 000-100 000 (Suns).
A temperature(s) given within the range 20 000-40 000°C.

moderate

c)

1 000 times brighter than the Sun.

very difficult