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Chapter 20.2

Chapter 20.2. The Sun: Our Very Own Star. Structure of the Sun. The sun is basically a large ball of gas Made mostly of Hydrogen and Helium Held together by Gravity May appear to have a solid surface No Visible surface starts where gases are so thick, you can’t see through it.

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Chapter 20.2

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  1. Chapter 20.2 The Sun: Our Very Own Star

  2. Structure of the Sun • The sun is basically a large ball of gas • Made mostly of Hydrogen and Helium • Held together by Gravity • May appear to have a solid surface • No • Visible surface starts where gases are so thick, you can’t see through it.

  3. Layers of the Sun

  4. Structure of the Sun

  5. Energy Production Scientists believed: • Sun burned fuel to generate energy • (would only last for 10,000 years) • Gravity was causing sun to shrink and gravity would release energy to heat sun • (would only last for 45 million years) • Sun has been shining for 4.6 billion years

  6. Nuclear Fusion • Albert Einstein showed that matter and energy are interchangeable- E=mc² • (E-energy, m-mass, c- speed of light) • Since c is such a large number, tiny amounts of matter can produce a huge amount of energy. • Nuclear fusion= process by which two or more low-mass nuclei fuse to form one larger nucleus • 4 H → 1 He = Energy (Sun’s energy)

  7. Nuclear Fusion

  8. Fusion in the Sun • Core • Where energy is produced (nuclear fusion) • Radiative Zone • Very dense, energy passes through here • Convective Zone • Hot gases circulate here when energy passes • Photosphere • Visible portion where energy leaves sun as light • Takes 8.3 minutes to reach Earth

  9. Solar Activity • Convection of hot gases + sun’s rotation= Magnetic Fields • Solar wind • Constant flow of magnetic fields from sun • Can cause interference with the Earth’s magnetic field disrupting TV signals and damaging satellites

  10. Solar Wind

  11. Sunspots • The sun’s magnetic fields tend to slow down activity in the Convective zone. • When activity slows down, some areas of the Photosphere become cooler. • These cooler areas show up as Sunspots. • These cooler, darker spots cycle every 11 years and have been linked to low temperatures on Earth’s surface.

  12. Sunspots

  13. Solar Flares • Magnetic fields can also cause regions of extremely high temps and brightness that develop on the sun’s surface. • When solar flares erupt, it sends huge streams of electrically charged particles into the solar system. • Solar flares can interrupt radio communications on the Earth and in orbit.

  14. Solar Features

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