The Sun Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is the Sun made of?

Plasma and about 75% Hydrogen and 25% Helium.

What causes the core to be extremely dense?

Gravity

What is nuclear fusion?

The core's density causes 4 Hydrogen atoms to combine to form a single Helium atom and 2 neutrons.

What is the Sun classified as?

The Sun is classified as a yellow, dwarf-sized main sequence star. Signup and view all the answers

How much of the Solar mass does the Sun make up?

The Sun makes up 99.8% of the Solar system's total mass. Signup and view all the answers

How long does it take light to travel from the Sun to the Earth?

It takes light about 8.5 minutes to travel from the Sun to the Earth. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Core?

Nuclear fusion occurs here, it's about 15 million degrees Celsius. Signup and view all the answers

What is the radiation zone?

Heat transfer mainly through light energy. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Convection Zone?

Heat circulates through the motion of hot plasma. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Photosphere?

Part of the Sun that we see, it's between 5000 and 6000 degrees Celsius. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Chromosphere?

Sun's inner atmosphere. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Corona?

Sun's outer atmosphere, only visible during a total Solar eclipse. Signup and view all the answers

What are Sunspots?

Darker, cooler areas on the photosphere of the Sun. They can cause flares & prominences. Signup and view all the answers

What are Prominences?

Large 'loops' or arches of plasma that jump out of sunspots. Signup and view all the answers

What are Solar Flares?

Violent eruptions of plasma coming from sunspots. Signup and view all the answers

What is Solar Wind?

The constant stream of electrically charged protons & electrons spraying out from the Sun. Cause auroras to occur in Earth's atmosphere. Signup and view all the answers

What are the Sun's layers?

Core, Radiation Zone, Convection Zone, Photosphere, Chromosphere, Corona Signup and view all the answers

What are the different sizes of stars (largest to smallest)?

Hypergiants, Supergiants, Giants, Dwarfs, Neutron Stars. Signup and view all the answers

What is a star's temperature relationship in relation to color?

A star's temperature is determined using the star's color. Red is cooler and has less energy. Blue & violet are hotter and have more energy. Signup and view all the answers

What are the stages of a low-mass star's stellar evolution?

Low mass stars slowly fuse Hydrogen causing them to remain a main sequence star for 10 billion to trillions of years long. Then they could turn into Red Giant stars. Signup and view all the answers

What are the stages of a high-mass star's stellar evolution?

They are already giant sized because of their mass. They give off lots of energy. Gravity grows too strong, and it collapses into a single nucleus. This results in a massive explosion of the star called a supernova. Signup and view all the answers

What are the types of galaxies?

Spiral Galaxies, Lenticular Galaxies, Elliptical Galaxies, Irregular Galaxies, The Milky Way Galaxy. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the evidence for the Big Bang Theory.

Based off the concepts of an expanding Universe, cosmic background radiation, and the ratios of elements. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Composition and Structure of the Sun

The Sun consists of plasma, primarily made up of 75% Hydrogen and 25% Helium.
Gravity results in the extreme density of the core, where nuclear fusion occurs at approximately 15 million degrees Celsius.

Nuclear Fusion and Star Classification

Nuclear fusion involves the combination of 4 Hydrogen atoms to create 1 Helium atom and 2 neutrons.
The Sun is classified as a yellow dwarf-sized main sequence star, constituting 99.8% of the total mass of the Solar System.

Light Travel and Solar Zones

Light travels from the Sun to the Earth in about 8.5 minutes.
Key regions of the Sun include the Core, Radiation Zone (heat transfer via light), and Convection Zone (heat circulates with hot plasma movement).

Atmospheric Layers of the Sun

The Photosphere is the visible surface of the Sun, with temperatures between 5000 and 6000 degrees Celsius.
The Chromosphere is the Sun's inner atmosphere, while the Corona, the outer atmosphere, is visible during a total Solar eclipse.

Solar Phenomena

Sunspots are cooler, darker regions on the Photosphere that can trigger solar flares and prominences.
Prominences are large plasma loops originating from sunspots, while solar flares are violent eruptions of plasma.

Solar Wind and its Effects

Solar Wind is a continuous flow of charged particles from the Sun, responsible for creating auroras in Earth's atmosphere.

Stellar Sizes and Temperature Relationships

Stars are categorized by size from largest to smallest: Hypergiants, Supergiants, Giants, Dwarfs, and Neutron Stars.
A star's temperature correlates with its color: Red (cooler, ~2000°C) through to Blue/Violet (hotter, >50,000°C).

Stellar Evolution

Low-mass stars can fuse Hydrogen for up to 10 billion to trillions of years before evolving into Red Giants.
High-mass stars are initially massive and eventually undergo collapse, leading to supernova explosions.

Galaxy Types and The Big Bang Theory

Types of galaxies include Spiral, Lenticular, Elliptical, Irregular, with the Milky Way being one of the notable examples.
Evidence supporting the Big Bang Theory includes the expanding Universe, cosmic background radiation, and element ratios.

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Description

Test your knowledge about the Sun with these flashcards. Learn about its composition, the process of nuclear fusion, and how its core's density is affected by gravity. Perfect for students and enthusiasts alike!