Our Star, the Sun
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Guiding Questions
The Sun’s energy is generated by thermonuclear reactions in its core
The Sun’s energy is produced by hydrogen fusion, a sequence of thermonuclear reactions in which four hydrogen nuclei combine to produce a single helium nucleus
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A theoretical model of the Sun shows how energy gets from its center to its surface
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Astronomers probe the solar interior using the Sun’s own vibrations
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Neutrinos reveal information about the Sun’s core—and have surprises of their own
The photosphere is the lowest of three main layers in the Sun’s atmosphere
The spectrum of the photosphere is similar to that of a blackbody at a temperature of 5800 K
Convection in the photosphere produces granules
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The chromosphere is characterized by spikes of rising gas
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The corona ejects mass into space to form the solar wind
Activity in the corona includes coronal mass ejections and coronal holes
Sunspots are low-temperature regions in the photosphere
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Sunspots are produced by a 22-year cycle in the Sun’s magnetic field
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These changes are caused by convection and the Sun’s differential rotation
Rotation of the Solar Interior
The Sun’s magnetic field also produces other forms of solar activity
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Key Words
Author: Michael Cohen
E-mail: mrcohe@ship.edu
Homepage: http://physics.ship.edu/~mrc/