Unit 4 Lesson 4.2.4

The Sun

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Lesson 4.2.4

Open Ended

What do you think would happen if we did not have the sun?

-science notebook

Materials

• describe the layers of the Sun

• describe the surface features of the Sun

What we will learn...

Lesson Objectives

• ​Essential for life on Earth

• Provides light for plants to grow.

• Provides heat for life to survive.

• Central in the solar system.

• Composed of several layers

• Made primarily of hydrogen and helium.

Sun Basics

• ​spacecraft that has provided details about the sun.

• Been collecting data for 30 years.

• Has been able to capture images of the sun.

The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)

• Made of plasma (similar to gas).

• 3 main layers

  • the core

  • radiative zone

  • convection zone

• Beyond convection zone is the Sun's atmosphere.

• Let's check out each layer.

The Sun's Layers

• The intense heat comes from the core.

• Hydrogen atoms smash together and forms helium which causes a reaction that produces heat and energy.

• Has been going on for nearly 4.6 billion years.

The Core

• The second section from the middle (core).

• Energy from the core moves outward through this section.

The Radiative Zone

• The third section from the middle (core).

• This section is in motion.

• The deeper hotter zones rise up.

• The cool outer plasma sinks into the radiative zone.

The Convection Zone

Hotspot

Which one is the convection zone

Hotspot

Which one is the radiative zone

Hotspot

Which spot is the core

• The sun does not have a solid surface like Earth.

• Made of thin layers of gasses.

• Surrounds the three main layers.

• 3 main layers:

  • photosphere

  • chromosphere

  • corona

• Let's explore these three layers.

The Sun's Atmosphere

• First layer

• The sun's surface

• Not solid

• It is the part we see everyday.

• This layer is often illustrated as a solid yellow.

• If viewed through a telescope it is covered in granules.

• The granules are caused by temperature differences.

Photosphere

• Located above the photosphere

• Has fast moving gas particles.

• These gas particles make the outer part of this layer hotter than the lower part.

• Temps range from 7,640-720,000 degrees F.

Chromosphere

• Outer layer

• Very thin

• Stretches out far into space

• Usually invisible to us except during a solar eclipse when the moon covers the center of the sun.

Corona

Match

Match the description with the layer of the Sun's atmosphere.

• chromosphere

• Corona

• photosphere

This layer includes fast-moving gas part

This layer is the outer atmospheric laye

This layer is the brightest layer of the

• This layer includes fast-moving gas part

• This layer is the outer atmospheric laye

• This layer is the brightest layer of the

• Has a magnetic field

• The magnetic field interacts with the gases and plasma making different features on the surface.

• These features are

  • sunspots

  • solar flares

  • solar wind

• Let's explore these features more

Surface Features

• Dark marks on the sun

• Cooler parts of the sun

• Usually last for weeks and then will fade away.

Sunspots

• Sudden eruption on the surface.

• Very violent

• Release high amounts of energy.

Solar Flares

• Constantly coming from the sun.

• Stream of charged particles.

• The Earth's magnetic field protects us from these particles.

• Solar winds can cause northern and southern lights in the sky.

• The solar wind will cause different colors in the sky.

Solar Wind

Hotspot

In the model, identify the sunspot

Hotspot

In the model, identify the solar wind

Hotspot

In the model, identify the solar flare

• Could damage your eyes

• Radiation from the sun can lead to long term damage.

• This can make it hard to study the sun.

• Let's check out a video for more information on this.

Why you should not look at the sun

Multiple Choice

What is the safest way to study the Sun?

• 
  Observe the Sun directly by using a pair of binoculars.

• 
  Observe a reflection of the Sun that passes through a pinhole.

• Observe the Sun only during sunrise or sunset.

• Observe the Sun directly but squint to reduce how bright it is.

Review

What did we learn...

• the layers of the Sun and the source of the Sun's heat and energy;

• the layers of the Sun's atmosphere and why the photosphere is considered the Sun's surface;

• features that appear on the Sun's surface; and

• the dangers of looking at the Sun and ways to safely observe it.

Open Ended

3,2,1, show me what you know.

Tell the 3 main layers of the sun

Tell 2 of the surface features of the sun

Tell the 1 layer of the sun's atmosphere we see

Sentence Starters

3 main layers are...

2 surface features are...

The layer we see is...