The Sun Flashcards
What percentage of the solar system’s mass does the Sun make up?
99.8%
What is the largest object in the solar system?
The Sun
What are the main components of the Sun?
Hydrogen and helium atoms
What is the fourth state of matter that the Sun is composed of?
Plasma
What is the temperature of the Sun’s inner core?
~27 million⁰C
What process occurs in the inner core of the Sun?
Nuclear fusion
What is the equation representing the fusion of hydrogen to helium?
H + H = He
What is the temperature of the Sun’s radiative zone?
~7 million⁰C
How long can it take for a photon to travel through the radiative zone?
Up to 50 million years
What is the function of the convection zone?
Hot material rises, cools at the surface, and cycles back down
What is the visible surface of the Sun called?
Photosphere
What is the approximate temperature of the photosphere?
~6,700⁰C
What is the thickness of the chromosphere?
~2,000 km
What colors does the chromosphere glow?
Red
What temperature range does the chromosphere have?
From ~4,000⁰C to ~10,000⁰C
What is the corona?
The outermost plasma layer of the Sun
What is the temperature range of the corona?
~2 to 5 million⁰C
What are sunspots?
Cooler and darker areas on the Sun’s surface
What causes sunspots to form?
Disruption of heat transfer by loops of the Sun’s magnetic field
What happens when a loop of the Sun’s magnetic field snaps?
It creates solar flares
What are solar flares?
Violent explosions releasing lots of energy
What is solar wind?
Highly energetic particles released during coronal mass ejections
What are solar prominences?
Large arches created when plasma flows between sunspots
How long can solar prominences last?
From a day to several months
