Exam 10: The Sun: Our Parent Star

Sunspots

The strongest magnetic fields in the photosphere lie near

A loop or sheet of gas hanging above an active region of the Sun is a(n) , often striking along the limb during total eclipses.

Both He3 and He4 are important in the proton- proton cycle. How are they different, and which comes first?

Without the strong nuclear force, the universe would be made only of hydrogen.

Two pairs of sunspots appear similar, but if one was observed in 1990, and the next in 2002, we would note what difference?

The solar neutrino problem was solved when it was discovered that neutrinos during the time they take to reach the Earth.

Without the strong nuclear force, the only element in the universe would be . Explain.

The photosphere is the coolest layer close to the Sun, for the radiation of visible light allows it to cool off efficiently.

How long does the sunspot cycle last, on average?

In the proton- proton cycle, the helium atom and neutrino have less mass than the original hydrogen. What happens to the "lost" mass?

Typically a granule in the photosphere is about

The solar constant refers to that fact that the Sun's luminosity has remained unchanged in the age of the solar system.

Observations of sunspots at different solar latitudes prove that the Sun, like the gas giants, rotates differentially.

What are coronal holes?

What is the meaning of the solar constant?

The prolonged period of few sunspots between 1645 and 1715 is known at the Maunder Minimum.

Describe how the sun's rotation is responsible for observed polarities of sunspots.

A solar _ is a sudden, violent disruption around sunspots, releasing a tremendous amount of energy in almost all wavelengths.

How might a coronal mass ejection affect Earth?