Edexcel IGCSE Physics 8.7 Star colour classification
Practise classifying stars by colour using table data and linking red, yellow, white and blue-white stars to surface temperature.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2019
- Course
- Physics 4PH1
Practise classifying stars by colour using table data and linking red, yellow, white and blue-white stars to surface temperature.
This question is about astrophysics.
Table 2 gives information about four different stars in the same galaxy as the Sun.

Table 2
Explain how the stars in table 2 can be classified according to their colour.
idea that colour depends on temperature;
Antares / red is coolest;
full (surface) temperature order given; e.g. in order of coolest to hottest
- Antares, Capella, Sirius B, Vega
- red, yellow, white, blue-white
allow idea that colour is
how hot/cold the star is
also scores MP1
allow Vega / blue-white / blue is hottest
allow RA