Sun Flashcards
Suns interior
Core
Radiative zone
Convective zone
Core
Aka central region
It’s is the inner part of the sun
High pressures temperature at least 15 million degrees Celsius
Nuclear fusion occurs here
Energy produced causes the suns surface to swell outward
Radiative zone
The layer outside of the core
Plasma here is very dense
Light and other forms of radiation are absorbed and re emitted in all directions continuously
Extends 3/4 way up to the surface of he sun
Light takes at least 100000 years to pass up through it
Convective zone
The layer outside of the radiative zone
Convection occurs here, hot plasma rises, hen cools and falls
The plasma carry’s energy
Outermost layer of the suns interior
He suns atmosphere
Photosphere
Chromosphere
Corona
Photosphere
Part of the sun that we see from earth
Has lowest temperature of all layers at 5500 degrees Celsius
Suns yellow colour comes from here
It gives off visible light
Chromosphere
Thin layer of the suns atmosphere above the photosphere
Has a reddish glow
It’s is only seen during a total solar eclipse
Corona
Outermost layer of the sun
Extends past the chromosphere for millions of km
Clearly visible during total solar eclipse
Sends out stream of electrically charged subatomic particles called solar wind
The suns surface features
Magnetic field Sunspots Solar flares Prominences Coronal mass ejections
Magnetic field
Generated by movement of plasma deep within the suns interior
Carrys far out into space
Extremely powerful
Sunspots
A region on the surface of he sun that is cooler than surrounding areas
Magnetic field is extremely strong in these areas and it slows down convection
Prevents plasma from mixing cools the spots down to about 4000-6000 degrees Celsius
They come and go not permanent temporary
They reach their maximum amount every 11 years
Occur in groups
Prominences
Large bright stream of particles that extends out from the photosphere into the corona
It loops back
Lasts for many hours
Shaped by he magnetic field
The link different parts of sunspot regions
Solar flares
Massive explosion in the surface of he sun
Caused by prominences that suddenly connect in the sunspot region and release a large amount of energy
That energy heats gases on the sun to millions of degrees celcous causing gas to explode into space
Can greatly increase solar wind
Coronal mass ejection
Extremely powerful kind of solar flare
This plasma is thrown out to space at speeds of 1000 km/s
Can damage orbiting sattelite sand electrical transmissions lines on earth
Creates vivid and active auras when reacted with earths magnetosphere
