Our Sun

The Sun

HS-ESS-1-1

Question of the Day

• How does energy move from the Sun's core to the Earth's surface?

The Sun's Life is dependent on...

• How long fusion can occur

• The results of fusion in the core

Fuel of the Sun

• Uses Hydrogen as a fuel source

• Powered by nuclear fusion

Bi-Products of Fusion

• Nuclear Fusion = two Hydrogen atoms combine to form a helium atom

• When they collide, they produce energy in the form of radiation

Life Span of the Sun

• Main-Sequence Star

• 4.6 billion years old (based on mass)

• Estimated life span = 10 billion years

Radiation

• Product of something that produces energy

• Transfers energy through waves

• Waves can travel through matter, as well as through empty space

Layers of the Sun

• Core

• Radiative Zone

• Convection Zone

• Photosphere

• Chromosphere

• Corona

Core

• Extremely hot and dense

• Plasma gas (charged Hydrogen atoms)

• Hydrogen atoms are moving fast and constantly colliding

• Upon collision they form Helium atoms and release radiation energy

• 15,000,000 degrees Celsius

Radiative Zone

• Photons (light waves) travel via radiative diffusion

• Area between the Core and Convective zone

• Between 2,000,000 - 7,000,000 degrees Celsius

Convective Zone

• Extends from 200,000km to surface

• 2,000,000 degrees Celsius

• Radiation travels via convection currents

• "Lava lamp"

Photosphere

• the visible "surface" of the sun

• 6,000 degrees Celsius

Chromosphere

• Reddish gaseous layer

• Part of Sun's outer-atmosphere

• 4,000 - 50,000 degrees Celsius

Corona

• Aura of plasma

• Outer-layer of Sun's atmosphere

• 10 million times less dense than Sun's surface

Space Weather

• Hot, electric, magnetic, gas is released from the sun into space

• Solar winds

• Sun spots

• Solar flares

• Coronal Mass Ejections