Download Our Sun, Chapter 30 - PAMS

Our Sun, Chapter 30
A Special Star: The Sun
1. 150 million km from Earth
2. Largest object in size and mass
3. 109 Earths lined up edge to edge
4. 330,000 times as massive as Earth
5. Contains 99% of the mass in the solar system
6. Mass controls all motions of the solar system
Atmosphere of the Sun
CORONA
1. Outermost layer of atmosphere
2. Temperatures can reach up to 1-2 million K
3. Several million kilometers thick
4.
Very dim because of low density gas
Chromosphere
1. Middle layer of sun’s atmosphere
2. Temperatures average 30,000K
3. 2500 kilometers thick
4. Seen only during eclipse, appears red
Photosphere
1. Innermost layer of atmosphere
2. 400 km thick, Temperatures 5800 K
3. Gives off the light emitted
Core
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•
Temperatures reach up to 15 million degrees Celsius
Hydrogen atoms are fused into Helium atoms (fusion) releasing energy as heat and light
Radiative and Convection Zones
1. Radiative zone which carries the energy 86% of the way to the photosphere, here energy is
transferred from particle to particle
2. Convection zone carries the energy the rest of the way to the surface through convection
currents
Sun Activity
1. Prominence: Solar Storm, huge bright arches or loops of gas, releases gases and energy into space
2. Solar Winds: Gas from the corona speeds out into space, Consists of ions, Flows through the entire solar
system at speeds of 400 Km/sec, Earth’s magnetic field deflects the winds and small particles are trapped in two
huge rings called the Van Allen Radiation Belts, Solar winds are the reason for the auroras seen at the poles
3. Sunspots: Dark areas on the suns surface (which are actually cool areas) caused by storms in the lower
atmosphere that move across surface. The storms vary in activity and are usually more active every 10-11 years
4. Solar Flares: bright bursts of light on the surface, huge amounts of energy are released into space