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Post by momof6 on Sept 10, 2004 16:41:14 GMT -5
INFO ABOUT THE SUN
The Size of the Sun
The Sun's diameter is 864,938 miles (1,391,980 km). This is almost 10 times larger than the planet Jupiter and about 109 times as big as the Earth. The volume of the Sun is 1,299,400 times bigger than the volume of the Earth; about 1,300,000 Earths could fit inside the Sun
As compared to other stars, however, the Sun is about average; red giants like Betelgeuse are about 700 times bigger than our Sun (and roughly 50 times as massive). Betelgeuse is also about 14,000 times brighter than the Sun. Red supergiants dwarf the Sun.
The Sun's apparent size in our sky is 32 arc minutes (it is the biggest object in the sky - 1 arc minute larger than the moon).
THE MASS OF THE SUN The Sun's mass is roughly 1.99 x 1030 kg. This is about 333,000 times the mass of the Earth. The Sun contains 99.8% of all of the mass of the Solar System. The mass of the sun is decreasing over time, as fusion reactions convert hydrogen into helium, releasing huge amounts of energy in the process.
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Post by momof6 on Sept 10, 2004 16:45:51 GMT -5
Structure of the Sun
The Core: The Sun's core has a tremendously high temperature and pressure. The temperature is roughly 15 million °C. At this temperature, nuclear fusion occurs, turning four hydrogen nuclei into a single helium nucleus plus a LOT of energy. This "hydrogen burning" releases gamma rays (high-energy photons) and neutrinos (particles with no charge and almost no mass).
The Radiative Zone (or radiation zone): The next layer out from the core is this zone which emits radiation. This radiation diffuses outwards. The temperature ranges from 15 million °C to one million °C. It may take photons of radiation millions of years to pass through the radiative zone, as they gradually make their way outwards.
The Convective Zone: In this next layer, photons continue to make their way outwards via convection (towards lower temperature and pressure). The temperature ranges from one million °C to 6,000 °C.
The Photosphere: This is the lower atmosphere of the Sun and the part that we see (since it emits light at visible wavelengths). This layer is about 300 miles (500km) thick. The temperature is about 5,500 °C.
The Chromosphere: This reddish layer is an area of rising temperatures. The temperature ranges from 6,000 °C (at lower altitudes) to 50,000 °C (at higher altitudes). This layer is a few thousand miles (or kilometers) thick. It appears red because hydrogen atoms are in an excite state and emit radiation near the red part of the visible spectrum.
The Chromosphere is visible during solar eclipses (when the moon blocks the Photosphere).
The Corona: This is the outer layer of the Sun's atmosphere. The corona extends for millions of miles and the temperatures are tremendous, reaching one million °C.
Holes in the corona occur where the Sun's magnetic field loops out into space. These coronal holes may be the source of the solar wind, a stream of energetic particles that permeate the Solar System.
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Post by momof6 on Sept 10, 2004 16:49:08 GMT -5
LESSON FOR STRUCTURE OF THE SUN
1. Students will draw and label a sun.
2. Students will color their drawing using the info in the above post.
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Post by momof6 on Sept 20, 2004 16:31:34 GMT -5
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Post by momof6 on Sept 20, 2004 16:36:18 GMT -5
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Post by momof6 on Sept 20, 2004 18:51:24 GMT -5
Find it! in Little Explorers
Use the Little Explorers picture dictionary to answer the following questions. This dictionary can be found at little explorers.com
1. This phrase starts with an "S." It is the name of the group that consists of our Sun and the many objects that orbit it. What is it? _______________
2. This word starts with an "S." It is the name of the large, hot, gaseous object that gives us much our our heat and energy. What is it? _______________
3. This word starts with a "P." It is the name of the many large objects that orbit around the Sun. _______________
4. This word starts with an "M." It is the name of the planet that is the closest to the Sun. What is it? _______________
5. This word starts with a "V." It is the name of the planet that is second-closest to the Sun. It is the hottest planet. What is it? _______________
6. This word starts with an "E." It is the name of the planet that is third from the Sun. We live on this planet. What is it called? _______________
7. This word starts with an "M." It is the name of the large object that orbits the Earth. What is it? _______________
8. This word starts with an "M." It is the name of the red planet that is fourth from the Sun. It is the planet that comes closest to the Earth. What is it? _______________
9. This phrase starts with an "A." It is the name of the large group of objects that orbit the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. What is it called? _______________
10. This word starts with a "J." It is the name of the biggest planet in the Solar System. What is it? _______________
11. This word starts with an "S." It is the name of the planet with the largest rings. What is this planet called? _______________
12. This word starts with a "U." It is the name of the seventh planet form the Sun. It looks bluish and is covered with clouds. What is it? _______________
13. This word starts with an "N." It is the name of the eighth planet from the Sun. What is it? _______________
14. This word starts with a "P." It is the name of the planet that is usually the farthest from the Sun. It is also the smallest planet in our Solar System. What is it? _______________
15. This word starts with a "C." It is what we call the small, icy objects that orbit the Sun. They have a long tail that always points away from the Sun. _______________
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Post by momof6 on Sept 20, 2004 18:55:11 GMT -5
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