Chapter 21

How is it possible to tell that the orbit of a visual binary is tipped so that the apparent orbit isn't the true orbit?

In an eclipsing binary system, star \(A\) is brighter, larger, and cooler than its companion, star \(B\). What can be said about the depths of the minima when each of the stars is eclipsed?

What is the significance of the Roche lobe of a star in a binary system?

Suppose a blob of gas is motionless at \(\mathrm{L}_{1}\) in a binary system. Can the blob remain at \(\mathrm{L}_{1}\) ? If not, is it possible to predict which way it will move?

Suppose the two stars in a binary system have masses of 1.5 and \(2.5 \mathrm{M}_{\odot} .\) What will happen to the separation of the two stars if the \(1.5 \mathrm{M}_{\odot}\) star sheds mass onto the \(2.5 \mathrm{M}_{\odot}\) star?

What would happen to the distance between Jupiter and the Sun if the Sun shed mass onto Jupiter?

What causes the gas in an accretion disk to spiral inward rather than to orbit at a constant distance from the compact object?

In a nova, why is the shell of hydrogen on the white dwarf consumed explosively rather than steadily?

Why is it possible for repeated nova explosions to occur in the same binary system?

Describe the evidence that Cygnus X-1 and A0620-00 are binary systems containing black holes.