STUDYING THE SUN NOTES (ch. 24)
I.
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The Sun
A. The sun is the ________________object in the solar system
B. Contains ________________________________ in the solar system
C. The Sun’s energy makes all ecological processes on Earth possible
D. Provides ___________________ to autotrophs for ___________________
E. ___________________energy is converted to ___________________energy
II.
Electromagnetic Radiation
A. The _________________________________is the arrangement of electromagnetic radiation
according to ___________________.
B. Nature of light
1. Sometimes light behaves like ______________, and other times like ________________.
2. When light behaves like waves, it’s like swells in the ocean.
3. This motion is measured as ___________________= the distance from one wave crest
(top) to the next.
C. Photons
1. A ___________________ is a small packet of light energy.
III.
Spectroscopy
A. ____________________________________is the study of the properties of light that depend on
wavelength.
B. Emission Spectrum
1. An ___________________________is a series of bright lines of particular wavelengths
produced by a ___________________under ___________________________.
2. When astronomers study the spectrum of a star, the lines are like “fingerprints.”
3. These lines identify the ___________________present in the star – and therefore its
___________________ composition.
IV.
The Doppler Effect
A. The ___________________is the ___________________ change in ___________________ of
electromagnetic or sound waves caused by the relative motions of the source and the observer.
B. Astronomers use the Doppler effect to determine whether a star or other body is moving
___________________ or ___________________Earth.
V.
Telescopes
A. Refracting Telescope
1. A _________________________telescope uses a ________1 to bend (refract) light.
lens (n): A curved piece of glass used in eyeglasses, cameras, telescopes, etc., to make things look
clearer, smaller, or bigger
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B. Reflecting Telescope
1. A ___________________ telescope reflects light off a ___________________2 mirror,
focusing the image in front of the mirror.
C. Radio Telescopes
1. A ___________________telescope makes observations in _______________________ .
D. Space Telescopes
1. ___________________ telescopes ___________________ above Earth’s atmosphere
2. They produce ___________________images than Earth-based telescopes
3. ___________________Space Telescope
a. The ___________________space telescope
b. Built by NASA
c. Was put into orbit around Earth in April 1990
VI.
Structure of the Sun
A. Because the sun is made of ____________, no sharp boundaries exist between its various layers.
B. We can divide the sun into __________ parts (listed from inside to outside):
1. The solar interior
2. The photosphere = visible surface
3. The chromosphere = inner layer of the atmosphere
4. The corona = outer layer of the atmosphere
C. Photosphere
1. The ___________________ is the visible surface of the sun.
2. It radiates energy to space
3. It is made of a layer of incandescent (lit) gas ___________________ than
_______________________________________.
4. It exhibits a grainy texture made up of many small, bright markings called
___________________Most of the elements found on ___________________ also occur
on the ___________________.
5. Its temperature averages approximately ___________________ (10,000ºF).
D. Chromosphere
1. The ___________________ is the first layer of the solar atmosphere. It is directly above
the photosphere.
2. It is a relatively thin, hot layer of incandescent (burning) gases
__________________________________________________thick.
3. Its top contains ___________________ = narrow jets of rising material.
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concave (adj): Having a shape like the inside of a bowl or spoon; curving inward
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E. Corona
1. The___________________is the outer, weak layer of the solar atmosphere.
2. The temperature at the top of the corona exceeds ___________________.
3. ___________________= a stream of protons and electrons ___________________3 at
high speed from the solar corona.
F. Sunspots
1. A ___________________ is a dark spot on the sun that is cooler than the surrounding
photosphere.
2. Sunspots appear dark because of their ___________________________, which is about
1500 K less than that of the surrounding solar surface.
G. Prominences
1. ___________________ are huge structures like clouds, consisting of chromospheric
gases.
2. Prominences = ionized gases trapped by __________________________that extend from
regions of intense solar activity.
1. They are the parts of the sun that appear to “___________________.”
B. Solar Flares
1. __________________________4 appear as a sudden brightening above a sunspot cluster.
They normally last about an ___________________.
2. Solar flares release enormous amounts of ___________________.
3. ___________________are bright displays of ever-changing light caused by
_________________________________interacting with the upper atmosphere in the
region of the ___________________.
II.
The Solar Interior: Nuclear Fusion
A. During nuclear fusion, _____________ is released because some matter is converted into energy.
B. The sun produces energy by ____________________________.
C. This reaction converts four ___________________ nuclei into the nucleus of a
___________________ atom, releasing a tremendous amount of energy.
D. A star the size of the sun can exist in its present stable state for about
__________________________________.
E. Our sun is already 4.5 billion years old, so it is “middle-aged.”
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eject (v): To push something out, usually with great force
flare (n): A light that shines brightly for a short time
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Assignment: Using the textbook, the notes, and the images on page 591, 594, and 595, draw a diagram of the
sun in the space below. On your diagram, label (and BRIEFLY define) the following terms: photosphere,
granules, chromosphere, spicules, corona, sunspots, and prominence.