Podcast
Questions and Answers
What feature of the sun's surface is characterized by jets of gas being ejected?
What feature of the sun's surface is characterized by jets of gas being ejected?
- Solar flares
- Solar prominence
- Sunspots
- Spicules (correct)
What is the primary component of the solar wind?
What is the primary component of the solar wind?
- Loops of gas rising from the sun and then falling back
- Streams of particles and energy traveling through space (correct)
- Gas and particles traveling at speeds less than escape velocity
- Darker markings on the surface of the sun
What is the approximate density of the sun compared to the Earth?
What is the approximate density of the sun compared to the Earth?
- One fourth the density of the Earth (correct)
- The same as the density of the Earth
- Twice the density of the Earth
- Four times the density of the Earth
How do the planets rotate on their axes?
How do the planets rotate on their axes?
What is the sun's rotation period?
What is the sun's rotation period?
What is true about the orbits of the planets?
What is true about the orbits of the planets?
What is the typical duration of an individual sunspot?
What is the typical duration of an individual sunspot?
What is the characteristic of the sun's rotation?
What is the characteristic of the sun's rotation?
What is a solar flare?
What is a solar flare?
What is the approximate ratio of the sun's radius to the Earth's radius?
What is the approximate ratio of the sun's radius to the Earth's radius?
What is true about the orbits of the planets in our solar system?
What is true about the orbits of the planets in our solar system?
What is the relationship between a planet's distance from the sun and its orbital period?
What is the relationship between a planet's distance from the sun and its orbital period?
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Study Notes
Sun Characteristics
- Sunspots: Darker markings on the sun's surface, lasting 1-100 days and usually appearing in groups.
- The sun's radius is 109 times the radius of the Earth, with a density of about one fourth of Earth's due to its gaseous composition.
- The sun's core is composed of plasma.
Sun Surface Activity
- Spicules: Jets of gas ejected from the sun's surface, typically found along the outline of a supergranule.
- Solar prominence: A loop of gas rising from the sun and then falling back.
Solar Flares and Solar Wind
- Solar flare: A huge burst of particles and energy shot out into space at speeds greater than the escape velocity.
- Solar wind: Streams of particles and energy traveling through space, created by solar flares.
Motion of the Sun
- The sun rotates on its axis about once per month, as discovered by Galileo by observing the motion of sunspots.
- The sun's surface rotates differentially, with faster rotation near the equator and slower rotation near the poles.
Planetary Motion
- All planets have nearly circular orbits around the sun.
- All planets orbit in the same direction.
- All planets, except Venus, rotate on their axis in the same direction.
- The period of orbit increases with the planet's distance from the sun.
- The distances between the planets become greater as you move outward from the sun.
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