Transcript File - Mr. Gray`s Class

Unit 4
The Sun
Basic Sun Information
Energy Formation & Layers of the Sun
Surface Features of the Sun
Basic Sun Information
• Vocab Words that go along with Basic
Sun information….
– Magnetic Field
Basic Sun Information
The planets relative to each other!
Basic Sun Information
Sun relative to the planets!
Basic Sun Information
The sun relative to other stars!
Fun Sun Data
*All data is approximate
Diameter
1,391,940km
Circumference
4,379,000
Radius
695,970km
Mass
1.989 x 1030 kg
Temp. at Core
15,600,000 K ≈ 15599727 °C
Temp. at Surface
6400 K ≈ 6127 °C
Rotation Period
25 days in middle, 35 day near poles
Luminosity
3.85 x 1026 watts – we use 1 on our HR diagram
because we compare other stars to the sun!
Absolute Magnitude
4.83
Apparent Magnitude
-26.7
Spectral Class
G Type Star – means it is yellow!
Spectral Type
G2 V
Solar Constant
1400 watts/m2
Basic Sun Information
• The Sun is an average sized star. It looks very
big from earth because it is so close to us!
• Why do we study the sun?
– Sun is very important to earth – without its heat and
light, we would not be able to survive!
– Gives us the Seasons
– Its gravity keeps us, and the other planets, in orbit
– It is the nearest star to us! We study it to learn about
other stars.
– It provides earth with A LOT of energy!
– Changes in solar activity or surface features effect our
climate, atmosphere, weather & power transmissions!
Basic Sun Information
• Sun is “relatively” stationary, at the center
of our Solar System
– The Milky Way revolves as a whole, but
relative to earth the sun is stationary!
– It does rotate around itself. The center
latitudes take 25 days to rotate, while areas
near the poles take 35 days to rotate.
Basic Sun Information
• The Sun is located on
one of the arms of our
Milky Way Galaxy
Basic Sun Information
• Sun is made of 73% Hydrogen, 25%
Helium and 2 % other elements.
– Those other elements consist of 70 different
elements!
• Some of these elements are…..
– Oxygen, Carbon, Nitrogen, Silicon, Magnesium, Neon,
Iron, Sulfur
Basic Sun Information
• The sun is surrounded by a large magnetic field, which
causes most of the activity and features on the sun.
– A magnetic field is the area sounding an object that displays
magnetism, or forces of attraction and repulsion
• Because of the uneven rotation of the sun, every 11
years the suns magnetic field flips.
• This means the solar cycle is 22 years, because it takes
that long for the magnetic field to flip-flop back to where it
began!
Energy Formation & Layers of the Sun
• Vocab Words that go along with Energy
Formation & Layers of the Sun
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Hydrogen Fusion
Neutrino
Core
Radiation Zone
Convection Zone
Photosphere
Chromosphere
Corona
Photon
Energy Formation & Layers of the Sun
• Energy for the sun is produced in the core of
the sun!
• It is produced by a process called Hydrogen
Fusion
– Hydrogen Fusion is when two Hydrogen atoms
actually bond together to form Helium and give off
energy
– For this process to occur there has to be an
EXTREME amount of heat and pressure, which is
what the core of the sun has!
– This process can not currently occur on earth
Energy Formation & Layers of the Sun
The sun uses the “fusion” process for energy
production, not the “fission” process!
Energy Formation & Layers of the Sun
• This is a visual
representations of the
Hydrogen Fusion
process.
– Hydrogen atoms bond
together to make
Helium & Energy.
– They also give off a
neutrino, which is a
neutral byproduct of
the hydrogen fusion
reaction!
Energy Formation & Layers of the Sun
• The sun is made of 6 layers
– The inner 3 layers are part of the sun’s interior
• Core, Radiation Zone & Convection Zone
– The outer 3 layers are part of the sun’s
atmosphere
• Photosphere, Chromosphere & Corona
– These layers have distinct roles in energy
production of the sun
Energy Formation & Layers of the Sun
Energy Formation & Layers of the Sun
• 1. Core
– Where energy is produced
• 2. Radiation Zone
– Where energy is “radiated” to after
being produced in the core
• 3. Convection Zone
– Where energy is circulated to the
atmosphere of the sun
• 4. Photosphere
– The visible layer of the sun!
• 5. Chromosphere
– Region between the Photosphere
& Corona
• 6. Corona
– Outer most layer of sun’s
atmosphere. It is full of Hot and
very tenuous gases.
Energy Formation & Layers of the Sun
• Every photon of energy takes a different
amount of time to reach the photosphere from
the core.
– A photon is a particle of energy given off from the
hydrogen fusion reaction.
• On average it takes 20 million years for energy
produced in the core to make it all the way to the
photosphere of the sun.
• Once it hits the photosphere, those photons of
energy travel at the speed of light and they
reach the earth in about 8.5 minutes!
Surface Features
• Vocab Words that go along with
Surface Features….
–
–
–
–
–
–
Sunspot
Prominence
Solar Flare
Solar Wind
Sunspot Cycle
Granulation
Surface Features
• There is a constant flow of electrically charged
particles, energy and radiation coming off the
sun. This is called the Solar Wind.
– The solar wind travels throughout the solar system
and usually does not reach earth because our
atmosphere protects us from too much radiation.
– It does constantly reshape our magnetosphere, which
is the part of earth’s magnetic field that is confined by
the solar wind.
Surface Features
• The entire
photosphere of
the sun is covered
in granulation
– Grainy, rice like
look on the
surface of the sun
• This is a result of
circulating
currents under the
photosphere in
the convection
zone
Surface Features
• Sunspots occur on
the surface of the
sun. Sometimes the
sun has lots of
sunspots, sometimes
the sun has very few.
– Sunspots are dark,
coolers areas on the
sun’s surface. They
are cooler than their
surroundings, but still
about 4,480°C
Surface Features
• The number of sunpots goes through a cycle. It reaches
a maximum, then falls to a minimum and then climbs
back to a maximum again! It takes about 11 years to go
through this cycle.
•This sunspot
cycle is directly
related to the flip
of the sun’s
magnetic field!
Surface Features
• Sometimes, the interaction of
the sun’s magnetic field with
the magnetic field of a sunspot
causes a small explosion off
the sun’s surface.
– If the ejecta is not traveling
fast enough, it loops back
around forming a Solar
Prominence
• A Solar Prominence is a fiery
arch that rises off the sun’s
surface
• Solar Prominences typically
form and last for about a day.
Sometimes, very stable
prominences last a few
months.
Surface Features
• Sometimes, the interaction of
the sun’s magnetic field with
the magnetic field of a sunspot
causes a small explosion off
the sun’s surface.
– If the ejecta is traveling fast
enough, it escapes the sun’s
gravitational pull and forms a
Solar Flare.
• A Solar Flare is a sudden,
tremendous, explosive
outburst of light, invisible
radiation and material from the
sun.
• Solar Flares usually only last a
few minutes, but can
sometimes last a few hours.
Surface Features
• An increase in the amount of sunspots (at
sunspot maximums) generally means an
increase in Solar Prominences and Solar
Flares.
• It is important for us to follow the Sunspot
cycle to know when there is going to be an
increase in Sunspots, because they cause
Solar Flares and Prominences
Surface Features
• How do Solar Flares effect earth?
– They release a great amount of radiation that will eventually
travel to earth.
– They cause the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis
• In the Southern Hemisphere, they have the Southern Light or
Aurora Australis
– This radiation can disrupt radio signals and communication with
satellites and space crafts.
– This radiation can cause geomagnetic storms.
– Heats & expands upper atmosphere of earth, which can effect
space shuttle reentry and the space station orbiting the earth.
– Earth’s magnetic field can be disrupted causing compasses to
work differently.
– Atmospheric storms can cause satellite damage, power surges
and/or blackouts