The Structure of the Sun

Study Notes

The Sun's core is the central region where nuclear fusion takes place
The radiative zone is the layer outside the core where energy generated by nuclear fusion is transferred through radiation
The convection zone is the outer layer where energy is transferred through convection currents
The photosphere is the layer visible to us, the surface of the Sun we see
The chromosphere is the layer above the photosphere, visible during total eclipses
The corona is the outer atmosphere of the Sun, visible during total eclipses

Sunspots are cool regions on the Sun's surface caused by intense magnetic activity
Solar flares are sudden increases in radiation and energy released from the Sun
Solar prominences are large, loop-like structures that erupt from the Sun's surface
Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are massive expulsions of plasma from the Sun's corona

Nuclear fusion is the process by which stars generate energy
The main sequence is the stage of a star's life where it fuses hydrogen into helium
Red giants are stars that have exhausted their hydrogen fuel and expanded to become much larger
Supernovae are massive stars that have exploded, expelling their material into space
Planetary nebulas are remnants of stars that have exhausted their fuel and shed their outer layers

Black holes are regions of spacetime where gravity is so strong, not even light can escape
Neutron stars are extremely dense stars formed from the collapse of massive stars
White dwarfs are stars that have exhausted their fuel and shed their outer layers
Brown dwarfs are objects that are too small to sustain nuclear fusion
Black dwarfs are white dwarfs that have cooled to the point where they no longer emit energy

The law of universal gravitation states that every point mass attracts every other point mass with a force proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
Accretion is the process by which matter accumulates onto a central object, such as a star or black hole

The Sun's core is the central region where nuclear fusion takes place
The radiative zone is the layer outside the core where energy generated by nuclear fusion is transferred through radiation
The convection zone is the outer layer where energy is transferred through convection currents
The photosphere is the layer visible to us, the surface of the Sun we see
The chromosphere is the layer above the photosphere, visible during total eclipses
The corona is the outer atmosphere of the Sun, visible during total eclipses

Sunspots are cool regions on the Sun's surface caused by intense magnetic activity
Solar flares are sudden increases in radiation and energy released from the Sun
Solar prominences are large, loop-like structures that erupt from the Sun's surface
Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are massive expulsions of plasma from the Sun's corona

Nuclear fusion is the process by which stars generate energy
The main sequence is the stage of a star's life where it fuses hydrogen into helium
Red giants are stars that have exhausted their hydrogen fuel and expanded to become much larger
Supernovae are massive stars that have exploded, expelling their material into space
Planetary nebulas are remnants of stars that have exhausted their fuel and shed their outer layers

Black holes are regions of spacetime where gravity is so strong, not even light can escape
Neutron stars are extremely dense stars formed from the collapse of massive stars
White dwarfs are stars that have exhausted their fuel and shed their outer layers
Brown dwarfs are objects that are too small to sustain nuclear fusion
Black dwarfs are white dwarfs that have cooled to the point where they no longer emit energy

The law of universal gravitation states that every point mass attracts every other point mass with a force proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
Accretion is the process by which matter accumulates onto a central object, such as a star or black hole