Quiz Review: The Sun

Quiz Review:
The Sun

South Carolina Connections Academy

Word Cloud

What is a new vocab word you learned during this unit?

Discovering the Layers

-The three innermost layers make up the
sun’s inner structure. The three
outermost layers make up the sun’s
atmosphere.

-Temperatures are hottest at the core,
and decrease through the radiative and
conductive zones, becoming coolest in
the photosphere.

-Temperatures then rise again through
the chromosphere, becoming hottest in
the corona.

Labelling

What 2 layers surround the sun’s inner core? Label them on the image.

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

Convection Zone

Radiative Zone

From Hydrogen Atoms to Earth

-Energy from nuclear fusion is released
from the sun’s core. It then travels
through the radiative zone by thermal
radiation. Next, convection currents
transfer the energy through the
convective zone, which brings it to the
sun’s surface.

-Solar energy radiates from the sun’s
surface and travels through space.

-Earth’s magnetosphere protects it from
the charged particles in solar wind.

Multiple Choice

Energy is made by this process in the core.

• Nuclear Fusion

• Nuclear Fission

• Photosynthesis

• Chemosynthesis

Active Sun

electromagnetic radiation - energy that can
travel through space

-Massive bubbles of radiation and particles,
called coronal mass ejections (CMEs),
sometimes occur near solar flares

-CMEs emit charged particles that are
deflected by Earth’s magnetic fields and
cause auroras near the North and South
Poles.

Aurora- lights caused by interaction between
particles from the sun and Earth’s atmosphere
(geomagnetic storms caused by CME’s)

Multiple Select

Both of these are caused by the Sun's magnetic field.

• Nuclear Fusion

• Solar Flares

• Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)

• Solar Irradiance

Solar Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections

-The turbulent magnetic field of the sun also
results in dramatic explosions of light and
plasma

-Solar flares and coronal mass ejections are
caused by the sun’s changing magnetic field
and are closely associated with sunspots

-solar flares occur when some of the magnetic
energy of a sunspot is released

-CMEs often occur at the same time as solar
flares

-They can both affect Earth

-Energetic particles are emitted by CMEs and
flares and can damage satellites.

coronal mass ejection (CME)- enormous
bubble-shaped mass of solar plasma

Total Solar Irradiance and the Solar Cycle

Total Solar Irradiance - a measure of the radiant
energy emitted from the sun

solar minimum- the period of the solar cycle when
the sun’s emissions are at their lowest ebb

solar maximum- the period of the solar cycle when
the sun’s emissions are at their highest level

-irradiance of the sun depends on the
wavelength of the radiant energy it emits

Multiple Choice

What is the IRRADIANCE of the sun dependent on?

•  the sun is not dependent on irradiance

•  the kind of the protons it emits

•  the light of the radiant energy it emits

•  the wavelength of the radiant energy it emits

Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor
(TSIS-1)

-measures Total Solar Irradiance (TSI), Solar
Spectral Irradiance (SSI), and the amount of
ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light emitted from
the sun.

-NASA’s goal is to gather readings precise enough
to be used in climate studies.

How Solar Weather Affects Climate Change on Earth

-During solar maximum, when there are many
sunspots on the sun’s surface, the sun emits
more ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

-The effects on Earth’s climate are higher during
this period

-when solar intensity is weak, it can cause
periods of atmospheric cooling.

-during solar maximum when the sun emits
more UV radiation, more ozone molecules are
formed in Earth’s atmosphere

Multiple Choice

The sun emits
more ultraviolet (UV) radiation during a solar maximum.

• True

• False

Further Research into Solar Weather and Climate Change

-some scientists think they have found evidence of
the influence of solar weather on Earth’s climate
hundreds of years ago

-“Little Ice Age,” could have been caused by low
solar activity (radiation)

-Recently TSI has been lower than normal so
solar weather is unlikely to be responsible for the
current warming trend of Earth’s atmosphere

Satellites

-Over 2,000 satellites are orbiting
Earth.

-Satellites are integral to modern
communications.

-Severe solar weather can lead to a total
loss of communication.

Satellite- an artificial body placed in orbit
around Earth, the moon, or another planet to
collect data or communicate

Radio Navigation and Global Positioning Systems

-In addition to people using the global
positioning system (GPS) in their
cars to get them where they need to go,
more and more industries are relying
on GPS

global positioning system- a system
utilizing satellites that provides users with
positioning, navigating, and timing

Match

Match the following

• Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor

• solar maximum

• Little Ice Age

• Satellite

• global positioning system

measures Total Solar Irradiance (TSI), S

Earth’s climate are higher during this p

could have been caused by low solar acti

an artificial body placed in orbit aroun

 provides directions for users

• measures Total Solar Irradiance (TSI), S

• Earth’s climate are higher during this p

• could have been caused by low solar acti

• an artificial body placed in orbit aroun

•  provides directions for users