Sunspots

Sunspots occur in regions of the sun…

• where strong magnetic fields poke through the surface

• where weak magnetic fields poke through the surface

• where there are holes in the surface that are like tornadoes boring down into the cooler gases below the surface

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-5

When viewed in the optical wavelengths of light, the Sun’s surface is…

• Featureless

• shows dark spots which like landmarks don’t change

• shows patterns of dark spots that vary over time

• shows dark spots that change moment to moment

Astronomers are studying the Sun to better understand how the complex magnetic fields produce…

• Solar flares seen in sunspot regions

• Solar flares seen at the Sun’s poles

• Solar flares seen ringing the Sun’s equator

• Sunspots which are not associated with Solar flares

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-5

NGSS.HS-PS4-3

Sunspots are dark local regions on the solar surface that are about __________ than its surrounding solar surface.

• 500 degrees cooler

• 1000 degrees cooler

• 1500 degrees cooler

• 1500 degrees hotter

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Sunspots are about twice Earth’s size and have lifetimes of…

• hours to days

• days to weeks

• minutes to hours

• weeks to a month

Sunspots often come in pairs where the Sun’s magnetic poke through to surface . The spots are cooler due to the magnetic field suppressing the local…

• Convection heating

• radiative heating

• conduction heating

• atomic heating

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-5

The number of Sunspots cycles from a few at high latitudes to many at lower latitudes. The number Sunspots varies with a cycle lasting…

• 5 years

• 9 years

• 11 years

• 15 years

Spacecraft observing the Sun capture frequent surface explosions that…

• are as strong as nuclear bombs

• dwarf anything in our Earthly experience

• are some of the strongest explosions in our galaxy

• that can be heard if you listen in the quiet of the desert on a windless day

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-1

Magnetic loops and arcs associated with Sunspots are illuminated by the hot gases traveling along them can be viewed by looking in…

• the extreme infrared frequency range

• the xray frequency range

• the extreme ultraviolet frequency range

• the microwave frequency range

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1

NGSS.HS-PS4-3

Sunspots typically last long enough to complete at least one complete revolution as the Sun spins. The Sun rotates…

• like a solid object, all with the same time to spin

• faster at the poles and slower at the equator

• slower at the poles and faster at the equator