51-55 Flashcards
Photosphere
where light can escape into space as the light we see from the sun
Plasma
sun is at such a high temp that atoms are ionized in what is called plasma
hydrostatic equilibrium
balance between pressure and gravity
Ideal Gas Law
Pressure=Tdc
Radiative zone
where photons carry energy through
convection zone
hot gas rises and cools, then sinks back to this region
granulation
bright area where bubbles of hot gas rise
sun’s atmosphere
the lower density gasses that lie above the photosphere
chromosphere
immediately above photosphere
contains spikes called spicules
red zone during a total eclipse
corona
the sun’s outer atmosphere
hotter than photosphere and chromosphere
contains little energy despite temp
magnetic fields
exert a force on charged particles making them follow the path of the field
coronal holes
larger cooler regions of corona where magnetic field is weak
solar wind
flow of gas away from the sun
proton-proton chain
(1) p + p yields 1 2H
(2) p + 2H yields 1 3He
(3) 3He + 3He yields 4He
cosmic rays
particles constantly showering earth from exploded stars
neutrino telescope
neutrino collides with neutron in water breaking neutron into a proton and an electron
Fusion of H summary
4 1H yields 1 4He + E + 2v
sunspots
indicator of solar activity
large, dark regions ranging in size, come in pairs
Zeeman effect
physical process in which the magnetic field causes some of the spectral lines produced by atoms to split into 3 or 2 or more components
prominences
huge plumes of glowing gas that jut from the lower chromosphere and into the corona
solar flares
brief, bright eruptions of hot gas in the chromosphere
arise when the magnetic field near a sunspot gets twisted by gas motion
coronal mass ejection
enormous bubbles of hot gas blasted from corona into space
sunspot cycle
sunspot and flare activity changing from year to year
cycle is about 11 years
Maunder Minimum
period where very little sunspots are seen causing cold winters
