15 Questions
What is the total number of layers that make up the structure of the Sun?
6
Which of the following is NOT one of the inner layers of the Sun?
Chromosphere
What is the primary chemical composition of the Sun?
Hydrogen and helium
Which of the following layers of the Sun is responsible for the production of solar energy through nuclear fusion?
Core
What are the features sometimes visible extending outward from the Sun between sunspots?
Prominences
How does the chemical composition of the Sun change as you move from the core to the outer layers?
The chemical composition changes as you move further from the core.
Which of the following layers of the Sun is responsible for the visible surface that we see?
Photosphere
What is the approximate temperature of the Sun's core?
27 million degrees Celsius
Which process occurs in the Sun's core?
Nuclear fusion
What is the approximate thickness of the Sun's photosphere?
400 km
What is the primary method of energy transfer in the Sun's convective zone?
Convection
Which layer of the Sun's atmosphere has a spiky ring-like appearance during a total solar eclipse?
Corona
What is the approximate temperature range of the Sun's photosphere?
3,700 to 6,200 degrees Celsius
What is the primary component of the solar wind?
Electrons and protons
Approximately how long does it take for photons to travel from the core through the radiative zone of the Sun?
200,000 years
Study Notes
Structure of the Sun
- The Sun is composed of six distinct layers: three inner layers and three outer layers.
Inner Layers
- The core is the central region of the Sun, extending from the center to approximately 138,000 km.
- The core is made up of plasma with a temperature of around 27 million degrees Celsius, where nuclear fusion occurs.
- The radiative zone extends from the core to approximately 494,000 km, with a temperature of about 7 million degrees Celsius.
- The convective zone extends from the edge of the radiative zone to the surface of the Sun at approximately 695,000 km, with a temperature of approximately 2 million degrees Celsius.
Composition of the Sun
- The Sun is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium.
- The core is approximately 64% helium, surrounded by shell-fusing hydrogen which accounts for 35% of the core's mass.
- Further from the core, the amount of helium drops, and the amount of hydrogen increases.
- In the radiative and convective zones, hydrogen accounts for approximately 75% of the mass of the Sun, while helium accounts for approximately 24%.
Outer Layers
- The photosphere is the deepest layer of the solar atmosphere, approximately 400 km thick, with a temperature between 3,700 and 6,200 degrees Celsius.
- The chromosphere is approximately 1,600 km thick, with a temperature increasing with distance from the photosphere.
- The corona is the outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere, extending millions of kilometers into space, with a temperature of 1 million degrees Celsius.
Solar Wind and Corona
- Solar wind is the flow of particles that constantly stream from the corona of the Sun.
- The solar wind is not uniform, changing speed and composition, and interacts with the Earth's magnetic field.
- The corona is visible during total eclipses of the Sun, with a spiky ring-like appearance.
Explore the distinct layers that make up the structure of the Sun, from its inner layers to outer layers. Learn about the composition and characteristics of each layer in the Sun's structure.
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