The Sun - Our Closest Star

The Sun - Our Closest Star

​Lesson Goal: SWBAT recognize that the sun is a medium sized star located in a spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy and that the sun is many thousands of times closer to Earth than any other star.

Demonstration of Learning:

Given a set of 5 questions, student recognizes 4/5 times that the sun is a medium sized star located in a spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy and that the sun is many thousands of times closer to Earth than any other star.

Multiple Choice

When did the sun form?

• 4.6 billion years ago

• 2.6 billion years ago

• 46 years ago

• 5 million years ago

Sunspots

Sunspots are areas of plasma that are cooler than the plasma around them.

Multiple Choice

Cooler areas of plasma on the surface of the sun.

• Solar flares

• Sunspots

• Prominences

Prominences

Huge loops of polarized plasma that connect sunspot regions

Solar Flares

Large eruptions on the Sun's surface that occur when prominences (loops) connect.

Multiple Choice

A giant eruption of plasma from the sun

• Solar flares

• Sunspots

• Prominences

Multiple Choice

A huge loop of plasma that connects sunspots.

• Solar flares

• Sunspots

• Prominences

Multiple Select

What are the two most abundant elements found in the sun? (choose two answers)

• carbon

• hydrogen

• oxygen

• nitrogen

• helium

Multiple Choice

What does GEO mean?

• dirt

• water

• earth

• fire

Multiple Choice

What does HELIO mean?

• air

• sun

• wind

• earth

Interior of the Sun

• The Sun's Interior is composed of three main sections:

• Core

• Radiative Zone

• Convection Zone

The Core

• Nuclear Fusion occurs here (energy production)

• Nuclear fusion occurs when HYDROGEN atoms combine to form HELIUM

• This process requires extremely high temperatures and pressure

The Radiative Zone

• Where tightly packed gas moves mainly in the form of electromagnetic radiation

• This zone is so dense that it can take over 100,000 years for the energy to move through it

The Convection Zone

• This is the outermost layer of the Sun's interior

• Hot gases rise from the bottom of the convection zone and slowly cool as they approach the top

• Cooler gases sink, forming loops of gas that move energy toward the Sun's surface

The Sun's Atmosphere

• The Sun's atmosphere is composed of three main sections:

• Photosphere

• Chromosphere

• Corona

The Photosphere

• The part of the sun we SEE, it emits visible light

• Inner layer of the Sun's atmosphere

The Chromosphere

• Middle layer of the Sun's atmosphere

• This layer is seen as a reddish glow around the photosphere

• Only can be seen during Total solar eclipse

• The Greek word chroma means "color" so the chromosphere is really the "color sphere"

Multiple Choice

The layer that glows red. We can only see it during an eclipse.

• Photosphere

• Chromosphere

• Corona

The Corona

• Outer layer of the Sun's atmosphere

• Looks like a white halo around the sun

• Only seen during an eclipse

• Extends into space for millions of kilometers

• Corona means "the crown" in Latin

Multiple Choice

Label part 1

• #1 Core
• #1 Radiation zone
• #1 Convection zone
• #1 Photosphere

Multiple Choice

Label part 6

• #6 Prominences
• #6 Corona
• #6 Sunspots
• #6 Photosphere

Multiple Choice

Label part 5

• Chromosphere

• Radiation zone

• Convection zone

• Photosphere

Multiple Choice

Label Part 3

• #3 Chromosphere
• #3 Radiation zone
• #3 Convection zone
• #3 Photosphere

Multiple Choice

Label Part 2

• #2 Core
• #2 Radiation zone
• #2 Convection zone
• #2 Corona

Multiple Choice

Energy is created in the core when two _____________ atoms join together to form a ______________ atom.

• helium, hydrogen
• carbon, hydrogen
• nitrogen, helium
• hydrogen, helium

Multiple Choice

In which area of the sun does gas rise as it heats up, then fall back down as it cools?

• the core
• the radiation zone
• the convection zone
• the corona

Multiple Choice

When we look at the sun, what layer are we viewing?

• photosphere
• chromosphere
• corona
• convection zone

Reorder

Reorder the following from outermost to innermost layres of the sun

• corona

• chromosphere

• photosphere

• convection zone

• radiative zone

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Match

Match the following

• where fusion happens

• light is released

• sends out solar wind

• cooler area on the surface

• explosion of energy and gas

core

photosphere

corona

sun spot

solar flare

• core

• photosphere

• corona

• sun spot

• solar flare

Multiple Choice

What layer of the sun's atmosphere gives the sun its "white halo" during a solar eclipse?

• chromosphere
• photosphere
• corona
• atmosphere

Multiple Choice

What layer of the sun's atmosphere gives off visible light?

• Photosphere

• Chromosphere

• Corona

Match

Match the following

• where fusion happens

• light is released

• sends out solar wind

• cooler area on the surface

• explosion of energy and gas

core

photosphere

corona

sun spot

solar flare

• core

• photosphere

• corona

• sun spot

• solar flare

Multiple Choice

From which planet would the Sun appear the largest?

• Mercury

• Venus

• Uranus

• Neptune

Multiple Choice

Compared to the Sun's appearance from Earth, how would the Sun look from Uranus?

• It would look larger and brighter

• It would look smaller and less bright.

• It would look larger and less bright.

• It would look smaller and brighter.

Multiple Choice

The Sun is located...

• near the center of this galaxy.

• near the edge of this galaxy.

• at the exact center of this galaxy.

• outside of this galaxy

Multiple Choice

In the geocentric model, which motion would occur?

• The Earth would revolve around the Sun.

• The Earth would rotate on its axis.

• The moon would revolve around the Sun.

• The Sun would revolve around the Earth.

​Congratulations! You have completed this lesson!