University of Central Florida (UCF) AST2002 Astronomy Final Practice Exam

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are extremely energetic explosions that occur in distant galaxies and are typically associated with certain high-energy astrophysical events. One of the primary phenomena linked to gamma-ray bursts is the supernova explosion, particularly those that occur in the aftermath of a massive star undergoing core collapse.

When a massive star exhausts its nuclear fuel, it can collapse under its own gravity, leading to dramatic changes in its core structure and often resulting in a supernova explosion. If this event also produces a rapidly rotating neutron star (or a black hole), it can lead to the formation of a gamma-ray burst. These bursts are thought to occur when the stellar core collapses and a relativistic jet of particles is ejected, which emits gamma rays as it interacts with the surrounding material.

The other options listed—quasars, black hole mergers, and neutron star collisions—while significant in their own right, are not the primary events associated with the typical formation of gamma-ray bursts as frequently as supernova explosions are. A quasar, for instance, represents the active core of a galaxy powered by a supermassive black hole and does not directly relate to the mechanisms producing gamma-ray bursts. Black hole mergers and neutron star collisions can indeed produce