3. The Sun

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Questions and Answers

What is the radius of the Sun compared to the Earth?

200 times greater

500 times greater

1000 times greater

100 times greater (correct)

What is the core temperature of the Sun?

10,000,000 K

5,000,000 K

20,000,000 K

15,000,000 K (correct)

Why do we see more of the Sun's north pole in September of each year?

The Sun's rotation axis is tilted by about 7.25 degrees from the axis of the Earth's orbit (correct)

The Sun's magnetic field shifts in September

The Sun's atmosphere changes in September

The Earth's orbit is closer to the Sun in September

What are the main layers of the Sun?

Core, radiative zone, and convective zone Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of the Sun's radius does the core extend to?

23% Signup and view all the answers

What is the temperature of the Sun's core?

15 million oC Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of the Sun's mass does the radiative zone account for?

48% Signup and view all the answers

What causes the grainy texture of the photosphere?

Convection Signup and view all the answers

Which layer of the solar atmosphere emits energy and contains numerous spicules?

Chromosphere Signup and view all the answers

What is the source of the solar wind?

Corona Signup and view all the answers

What is the approximate diameter of the corona?

Several times the Sun's diameter Signup and view all the answers

How much of the Sun's total mass has been lost in the last 4.6 billion years?

0.1% Signup and view all the answers

What is the approximate width range of the convective columns in the convective zone?

500-2000 km Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of the Sun's radius is the radiative zone?

43% Signup and view all the answers

What process converts hydrogen into helium in the Sun?

Nuclear fusion reactions Signup and view all the answers

What causes the Sun's magnetic field?

Rapid circulation of plasma within the convective zone Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the number of sunspots as a consequence of the reversals in the Sun’s Magnetic field?

It varies over time Signup and view all the answers

What is a solar prominence?

An outburst of glowing gas and plasma emerging from one sunspot on the Sun’s surface Signup and view all the answers

What is the solar wind composed of?

Electrons, protons, and other charged particles Signup and view all the answers

What is the main effect of space weather on Earth?

Disruption of satellites Signup and view all the answers

What is helioseismology?

Continuous monitoring of the Sun's vibrations Signup and view all the answers

What is the X-Ray Sun used to monitor?

The Solar Coronasphere Signup and view all the answers

What causes the appearance of sunspots on the Sun’s surface?

Inhibition of upwelling plasma by strong magnetic fields Signup and view all the answers

What leads to complications in the Solar magnetic field?

The Sun's differential rotation Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the solar magnetic field over an 11-year period?

It collapses and reforms Signup and view all the answers

What is the main component of the solar wind?

Protons Signup and view all the answers

What is the solar wind responsible for when it interacts with planetary magnetic fields?

Causing the aurora Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Internal Structure and Atmosphere of the Sun

The Sun's distance from its center to its visible surface is 696,000 km, which is 110 times the Earth's radius.
The main layers of the Sun are the core, radiative zone, and convective zone.
The core extends to 23% of the Sun's radius, reaching temperatures of 15 million oC and pressure 10,000 times that of Earth.
The Sun's nuclear fusion reactions convert 600 million tons of hydrogen into helium every second.
The radiative zone is transparent to light and accounts for 43% of the Sun's radius and 48% of its mass.
The convective zone, which is totally opaque to light, has convective columns ranging from 500-2000 km across.
Solar granulation results from hot plasma rising and sinking on the Sun's surface, where hot rising material appears light and cooler sinking material appears darker.
The Sun can be divided into the solar interior, photosphere, chromosphere, and corona.
The photosphere, the visible surface of the Sun, radiates energy to space and exhibits a grainy texture due to convection.
The chromosphere is a thin, hot layer of incandescent gases with a red appearance, containing numerous spicules and emitting energy.
The corona, the outer layer of the solar atmosphere, extends several times the Sun's diameter and is the source of the solar wind.
The solar wind, a high-speed stream of particles escaping the Sun's gravity, carries away a million tons of the Sun’s mass each second, and only 0.1% of the Sun's total mass has been lost in the last 4.6 billion years.

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Description

Test your knowledge of the internal structure and atmosphere of the Sun with this informative quiz. Explore the core, radiative zone, convective zone, solar granulation, and the layers of the solar atmosphere. Whether you're an astronomy enthusiast or just curious about the Sun, this quiz will shine a light on your understanding of our nearest star.