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Astronomy 0089 > Chapter 15/16: The Sun > Flashcards

Chapter 15/16: The Sun Flashcards

1
Q

What is the diameter of the sun?

A

1.4 x 10^6 km (109 x Earth’s D)

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2
Q

What is the mass of the sun?

A

2.0 x 10^30 kg (332,000 x Earth’s M)

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3
Q

What is the surface temperature of the sun?

A

5,800 K

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4
Q

What is the core temperature of the sun?

A

15,000,000 K

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5
Q

What is the composition of the sun?

A

92% H and 7.8% He by nuclei (73.4% H and 25% He by mass)

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6
Q

What is the Luminosity of the sun?

A

3.9 x 10^26 Watts

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7
Q

What are the Layers of the sun? (inner to outer)

A

Core, Radiative Zone, Convection Zone, Photosphere, Chromosphere, Corona

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8
Q

What are the layers of the Solar Atmosphere?

A

Chromosphere, Photosphere, Corona

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9
Q

What is the photosphere layer?

A

It is the visible surface of the sun that we are most familiar with. (not a solid surface)

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10
Q

What does the photosphere layer have?

A

Granulation, Sunspots, Prominences, Solar Flares

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11
Q

What is a granulation?

A

They are blotchy spots produced by rising hot gas while the cooler gas sinks down.

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12
Q

What is a sunspot?

A

A region in the photosphere where the temperature is relatively low which makes it darker than its surroundings (Umbra and Penumbra) that is associated with magnetic fields. (look like bright arcs)

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13
Q

What is an Umbra?

A

The dark part of the sunspot (3,700 K)

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14
Q

What is the Penumbra?

A

Slightly less dark part of the Penumbra but still darker than the photosphere layer

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15
Q

What is the sunspot cycle?

A

The average number of sunspots on the sun varies but is predictable, it reaches a maximum every 11 years then falls to 0 and starts again.

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16
Q

What is the butterfly diagram?

A

At the beginning of the cycle, sunspots appear far from the equator then closer as the cycle progresses

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17
Q

What causes sunspots?

A

The sun rotates faster at its equator than the poles called differential rotation.

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18
Q

What is a prominence?

A

It is an arc of magnetic field and solar plasma (last hours-days).

19
Q

What is a solar flare?

A

It is a sudden increase in brightness of a region of the sun, caused by the breaking and reconnecting of magnetic field lines.

20
Q

What is released in a solar flare?

A

Large amounts of energy (radiation)

21
Q

Where do solar flares usually happen?

A

Near the sun’s surface and close to sunspots.

22
Q

What is the chromosphere layer?

A

It is above the photosphere (higher temp) and gives a reddish emission line spectrum (Hydrogen).

23
Q

What does chromosphere mean?

A

place where the color comes from.

24
Q

When can you see the sun’s chromosphere?

A

During the total solar eclipse

25
Q

What is the Corona layer?

A

It is the outer layer of the sun’s atmosphere.

26
Q

What is the temperature of the corona?

A

About a million degrees.

27
Q

What is the corona nearly?

A

a vacuum

28
Q

What is Solar Wind?

A

outflow of coronal gases.

29
Q

What is the heliosphere?

A

It is the sun’s reach of influence on its environment.

30
Q

What is a Coronal Mass Ejection?

A

A huge blast of high energy particles then followed by vast amounts of solar plasma.

31
Q

What is an Aurorae?

A

Some solar wind particles are able to leak through the Earth’s magnetic field at its weaker points (makes cool lights)

32
Q

What is the proton-proton chain?

A

A three-step process that converts hydrogen into helium to generate energy (nuclear fusion).

33
Q

What particles are in the chain?

A

Proton, Electron, Positron, Neutrino, Gamma-ray photon, deuterium, Helium-3, Helium-4

34
Q

What is the first step of the chain?

A

2 hydrogen protons turn into a neutrino, deuterium, positron

35
Q

What is the second step of the chain?

A

A hydrogen proton and deuterium turn into an isotope of Helium (2 protons one neutron (Helium-3) and gamma rays. (MUST HAPPEN TWICE)

36
Q

What is the third step of the chain?

A

Two Helium-3s turn into a Helium-4 and 2 Hydrogen protons.

37
Q

Some mass is lost and turned into the sun’s energy (how much).

A

0.7% (E = mc^2)

38
Q

What is a neutrino (v)?

A

It is a weakly interacting neutral particle that travels at nearly the speed of light and has nearly no mass.

39
Q

What is Hydrostatic Equilibrium?

A

The inward gravitational force is balanced by outward gas and radiation pressure. (higher temp. = higher pressure)

40
Q

What is Radiation?

A

energy transported by photons in the Radiative Zone.

41
Q

What is Convection?

A

energy transported by mass motions of the gas in the Convection Zone)

42
Q

What energy transport is not in the sun?

A

Conduction

43
Q

How to construct a model of a star like the sun?

A

ideas of hydrostatic equilibrium, temperature, and energy transport as a set of equations.

44
Q

What is Helioseismology?

A

The sun is so dense that it is opaque - all the light we see comes from the Sun’s surface. Vibration is kinda like a guitar.

Astronomy 0089 (15 decks)

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