High Energy Astrophysics
- Fall 2016
Homework #3 - due October 10
1. Find the change in energy of a relativistic particle which
bounces off a heavy wall which is moving with a velocity V. Assume that the angle
of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
2. Suppose there are N electrons and N protons in a star of radius
R. Derive the Chandrasekhar limit for this star assuming that
the density is uniform throughout the star and estimating the Fermi
energy of the electrons using Heisenberg's uncertainty principle
taking the confinement length to be Delta x = (number
density)^(-1/3).
3. Derive an equation for the characteristic age of a pulsar
given its period, period derivative, and braking index.