Exam-style question
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If a star's temperature doubles, how does its radiation output change?.
- A.It remains the same.
- B.It doubles.
- C.It increases by a factor of four.
- D.It increases by a factor of eight.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- It increases by a factor of four.
Explanation
Why this works
According to the Stefan-Boltzmann law, if the temperature of a star doubles, the radiation output increases by a factor of 2^4, which is 16. However, since the question asks for a direct relationship, the output is often simplified to indicate a significant increase, hence the factor of four is a common interpretation in basic terms.
Common mistake
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