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Name the four main parts of the Sun.
Solar Interior, Photosphere, Chromosphere, Corona
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What layer is the “surface” of the Sun?
Photosphere
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What are sunspots?
Cooler, darker spots on the sun
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What are prominences?
Chromospheric gas clouds
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What are solar flares?
Energy bursts released from the Sun
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What is solar wind?
A stream of protons & electrons released from the sun
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Approximately how old is the Sun?
4.5 billion years
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What life cycle stage is the sun in?
Main Sequence
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Summarize the entire life of our sun.
Nebula, a cloud of gas & dust Gravity pulls it into a protostar Gravity changes the protostar into a sphere (main sequence) 10 million oC , Nuclear fusion begins , A star is born When nearly all H turns to He, The star expands into a red giant The red giant expands & cools into a planetary nebula Carbon & Oxygen fuse , Nuclear fusion stops , The star dies The gases drift away The core collapses into a white dwarf
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Approximately how many years does the sun have left in the main sequence stage?
5 billion
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The temperature of the sun’s core is 15,600,000 k while the surface is 5,800 k; why is there a difference?
The core is hotter because that is where the sun’s energy is being created (nuclear fusion)
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What is the composition of the sun?
70% Hydrogen , 28% Helium, 2% other
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What is nuclear fusion?
Nuclear fusion is when nuclei of atoms combine.
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Where does nuclear fusion occur?
Nuclear fusion occurs in the core of stars.
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What is needed for nuclear fusion to occur?
Nuclear fusion occurs where there is A LOT of heat & pressure.
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Summarize step 1 of nuclear fusion.
2 H nuclei enter. One p+ is going to lose its (+) as a positron, making it into a neutron. A p+no is made. ENERGY is released.
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Summarize step 2 of nuclear fusion.
A p+no (from step 1) and a H nucleus enters. They combine to make 2p+1no. ENERGY is released.
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Summarize step 3 of nuclear fusion.
A 2p+1no (from step 2) enters. Another 2p+1no (from a different step 2) enters. They combine. 2 H nuclei and 1 He nucleus are made. ENERGY is released.
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