Deck 12: The Sun, Our Star

Question 1

Approximately how massive is the Sun as compared to Earth?

A) 100 times
B) 300 times
C) 3,000 times
D) 300,000 times
E) one million times

Answer 1

300,000 times

Question 2

Which is more massive?

A) the Sun (a gaseous giant)
B) Earth (a solid object)

Answer 2

the Sun (a gaseous giant)

Question 3

Which is denser?

A) the Sun, which is about 300,000 times more massive than Earth
B) Earth (a solid object)

Answer 3

Earth (a solid object)

Question 4

If you could manage to stand on the Sun, you would weigh approximately ____ times more than your weight on Earth.

A) 10
B) 30
C) 100
D) 300,000

Question 5

The sunlight we receive on Earth originates from the Sun's

A) radiative zone.
B) photosphere.
C) chromosphere.
D) corona.

Question 6

The hottest part of the Sun is

A) the core.
B) the radiative zone.
C) the photosphere.
D) the corona.

Question 7

Approximately how long does energy take to travel from the core to the surface of the Sun?

A) a few seconds
B) a few minutes
C) a thousand years
D) 16 million years
E) 10 billion years

Question 8

The Sun's core is generating energy in the form of ________.

A) gamma rays
B) ultraviolet waves
C) X-rays
D) visible light
E) radio waves

Question 9

Which part of the Sun is not in hydrostatic equilibrium?

A) core
B) radiation zone
C) convection zone
D) corona

Question 10

The diameter of the Sun is determined by measuring its ____ and _____.

A) volume; density
B) distance; volume
C) distance; angular size
D) mass; density

Question 11

The surface temperature of the Sun can be measured using _________.

A) Kepler's third law
B) the Doppler shift
C) Wien's law
D) Bode's rule

Question 12

The temperature at the Sun's core is about _____.

A) 15,000,000 K
B) 1,500,000 K
C) 150,000 K
D) 15,000 K

Question 13

The Sun's composition by the % of mass is 71% ____, 27% _____, and 2% _____.

A) nitrogen; oxygen; argon
B) helium; hydrogen; other elements
C) hydrogen; helium; other elements
D) hydrogen; helium; carbon

Question 14

Light travels for about _____ to reach the Sun's surface from the Sun's core, and about ____ to reach Earth from the Sun's surface.

A) 16 million years; 8 minutes
B) 100 years; 8 minutes
C) 1 minute; 8 seconds
D) 100 years; 8 seconds

Question 15

The Sun's atmosphere consists of the _____ and the _____.

A) photosphere; chromosphere
B) photosphere; corona
C) chromosphere; corona
D) corona; solar wind

Question 16

The temperature at the ____ of the Sun's chromosphere is higher than the temperature _________.

A) base; at the top of the chromosphere
B) top; at the base of the chromosphere
C) top; of the Sun's corona
D) base; of the Sun's corona

Question 17

How is the composition of the Sun today different than when it formed 4.6 billion years ago?

A) There is no difference, the composition has not changed.
B) There is now more hydrogen and less helium.
C) There is now more helium and less hydrogen.
D) The amount of hydrogen and helium has not changed, but the amount of heavier elements has decreased.

Question 18

The photosphere

A) is the part of the Sun where nuclear fusion is occurring.
B) is the layer of the Sun where it transitions from being opaque to transparent.
C) is the hottest part of the Sun.
D) is the densest part of the Sun.

Question 19

From the center out, the correct order of the parts of the Sun is

A) core, convection zone, radiative zone, photosphere, chromosphere, corona.
B) radiative zone, core, chromosphere, convection zone, photosphere, corona.
C) core, convection zone, photosphere, chromosphere, corona, radiative zone.
D) core, radiative zone, convection zone, photosphere, chromosphere, corona.

Question 20

Although the Sun's core has a density much greater than rock it is considered a gaseous object because

A) the Sun's high internal temperature prevent the atoms from bonding together to form a liquid or a solid.
B) a large fraction of the Sun's interior is made of electromagnetic radiation (light).
C) it is composed mostly of hydrogen.
D) the Sun formed from the Solar nebula which itself was a large gas and dust cloud.

Question 21

How big is the Sun compared to Earth, approximately?

A) 5 times bigger
B) 15 times bigger
C) 500 times bigger
D) 100 times bigger
E) 1,000 times bigger

Question 22

The surface of the Sun is about ______ and the core is about _______.

A) 6,000K/15 million K
B) 11,000K/27 million K
C) depleted/to explode
D) None of these choices is correct.

Question 23

The Sun is composed of about ______ and _______ plus 2% other elements.

A) 71% helium/27% hydrogen
B) 50% hydrogen/50% helium
C) 71% hydrogen/27% helium
D) 77% nitrogen/22% oxygen

Question 24

The Sun is about how far from Earth?

A) 380,000 km
B) 93,000,000 km
C) 150,000,000 km
D) one light-year

Question 25

What is the visible surface of the Sun called?

A) the corona
B) the chromosphere
C) the photosphere
D) the radiative zone

Question 26

What is the Sun's outermost atmosphere called?

A) the corona
B) the chromosphere
C) the photosphere
D) the radiative zone

Question 27

The energy in the Sun's core is produced by

A) the chemical reaction of hydrogen and helium.
B) the fusion of hydrogen to helium.
C) radioactive decay.
D) the release of gravitational potential energy.

Question 28

One way to probe the rate of nuclear reactions in the center of the Sun is by studying ______ produced because _____________.

A) positrons; they annihilate into gamma rays of very specific energies
B) neutrinos; they pass out of the Sun without undergoing a random walk
C) heavy hydrogen; it has different spectral lines than normal hydrogen
D) wave motions; they can be measured at the Sun's surface

Question 29

Since nuclear fusion in the Sun creates energy from matter, why doesn't it violate the law of conservation of energy?

A) Conservation of energy only applies to mechanical and electrical systems, not to nuclear physics.
B) The energy actually comes from the motion of the four separate hydrogen atoms, which move less bound together as one helium atom.
C) Matter and energy are equivalent, as expressed by Einstein's equation E = mc ².
D) It does, but conservation of energy is only a law in Newtonian physics, which does not work under the conditions at the center of the Sun.

Question 30

In the Sun, nuclear fusion occurs

A) in the core and the radiative zone.
B) only in the core.
C) throughout the entire star.
D) in concentric shells

Question 31

What holds the Sun together?

A) electrostatic forces between ions in its interior
B) gas pressure.
C) its gravitational force.
D) Nothing, the Sun is actually expanding very slowly.

Question 32

The Sun produces its energy through __________.

A) the fusion of neutrinos into helium
B) the fusion of helium into hydrogen
C) the fusion of hydrogen into helium
D) electric currents generated in its core
E) gradual gravitational collapse

Question 33

What is the specific 3-step energy generating process in the Sun called?

A) hydrostatic equilibrium
B) thermography
C) the proton-proton chain
D) radiative transfer

Question 34

The Sun's energy comes from __________.

A) the release of magnetic energy
B) the conversion of mass into energy
C) its rotation slowing down
D) meteors and asteroids striking its surface

Question 35

What holds the Sun together?

A) the Sun's gravity
B) the Sun's magnetic field
C) the pressure of the solar wind
D) radiation pressure
E) quantum forces

Question 36

What powers the Sun?

A) chemical burning of hydrogen and oxygen
B) nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium
C) nuclear fission of helium into hydrogen
D) the breakdown of neutrinos
E) friction as it moves through the gases of space

Question 37

The Sun is supported against the crushing force of its own gravity by __________.

A) magnetic forces
B) its rapid rotation
C) the force exerted by escaping neutrinos
D) gas pressure
E) quantum forces

Question 38

At which observatory listed below are scientists trying to capture neutrinos?

A) SOHO (Solar & Heliospheric Observatory)
B) Super Kamiokande, Japan
C) GONG (Global Oscillations network group)
D) Hubble Space Telescope

Question 39

____ provides a way to measure the speed of seismic waves in the Sun.

A) Newton's third law
B) Wien's law
C) the Doppler effect
D) Kepler's third law

Question 40

Astronomers know what the solar interior is like by

A) observing the interior directly. By using the appropriate filters it is possible to reduce the bright glow of the Sun and to peer directly at the Sun's interior.
B) constructing a miniature Sun in the laboratory and extrapolating the results to the real Sun.
C) using locally tested physics combined with observations to build a mathematical model of what the Sun should be like in its interior.
D) sending probes directly into the Sun and sending back the information.

Question 41

Why are astronomers interested in detecting neutrinos from the Sun?

A) Neutrinos can reveal the Sun's inner magnetic field.
B) Neutrinos give information about the nuclear reactions in the Sun's core.
C) Neutrinos allow the prediction of the sunspot cycle.
D) Neutrinos help in predicting the occurrence of solar flares.

Question 42

Sunspots are dark because they are

A) landmasses like continents on Earth.
B) holes in the photosphere, allowing astronomers to view into the Sun's interior.
C) shadows from clouds in the Sun's atmosphere.
D) slightly cooler regions, meaning they emit less light than the surrounding areas.

Question 43

The solar wind is created in the Sun's _______.

A) core
B) radiation zone
C) convection zone
D) corona

Question 44

A solar prominence is essentially

A) a cloud of hot gas lifting off the surface of the Sun.
B) an eruption of gas heated by the sudden recombination of opposite polarity parts of the Sun's magnetic field.
C) a plasma confined to a magnetic tube sticking out of the surface of the Sun.
D) an aurora occurring in the Sun's atmosphere instead of Earth's.

Question 45

Generally speaking, activity on the surface of the Sun is primarily driven by

A) gravity.
B) thermodynamics.
C) electromagnetism.
D) nuclear reactions.

Question 46

The Zeeman effect, in which energy levels of electrons are shifted and produce a corresponding split in spectral lines observed, is used to measure _________ at the Sun's surface.

A) magnetic field strength
B) the intensity of gamma rays
C) gravitational field strength
D) the velocity and oscillations of gas

Question 47

How do a prominence and a flare differ?

A) A prominence is a huge plume of glowing gas trapped in the Sun's magnetic field; a flare is a brief, bright eruption in the chromosphere.
B) A prominence is brief, bright eruption in the chromosphere; a flare is a tenuous flow of hydrogen and helium that sweeps across the Solar System.
C) A prominence is a jet of hot gas thousands of kilometers long; a flare is an immense bubble of hot gas rising from deep within the Sun.
D) There is no difference between a prominence and a flare.

Question 48

Which of the following gives evidence of the solar wind?

A) the tails of comets
B) jet streams on Earth
C) solar prominences
D) solar flares
E) sunspots

Question 49

How do we know sunspots have magnetic fields?

A) the Zeeman effect
B) Wien's law
C) the Hubble effect
D) We have measured the sunspots' fields with spacecraft.
E) None of these choices is correct.

Question 50

What is solar seismology?

A) the study of the Sun's atmosphere by analyzing waves in the Sun's interior
B) the study of the Sun's interior by analyzing waves in the Sun's atmosphere
C) the study of gravitational waves from the Sun
D) the study of the Sun's changing size

Question 51

The Sun rotates _____ at its equator compared to near its poles.

A) slower
B) the same
C) faster
D) backwards

Question 52

The _____ a period _______, that coincides with _______.

A) sunspot cycle is; of 11 years; the Sun's rotation around its axis
B) Maunder Minimum is; of low sunspot activity; the "little ice age" in the late 17 ^th century
C) magnetic cycle is; of 22 years; a period of intense solar and earthquakes
D) solar cycle is; of high sunspot activity; the cycle of the planetary alignments

Question 53

If the Sun's rotation carries two sunspots around the side out of sight, you might see them again in about

A) twelve hours
B) two weeks
C) a month
D) six months

Question 54

The solar cycle is a result of the

A) nuclear fusion at the core of the Sun.
B) loss of energy in the Sun's magnetic field through flares, sunspots, and prominences.
C) differential rotation of the Sun.
D) motion in the convection zone cycling material into the Sun's core.

Question 55

About how long is the solar cycle (evidenced by sunspots)?

A) 3 years
B) 5 days
C) 11 years
D) 22 years

Question 56

About how long is the solar cycle (evidenced by the polarity of the Sun's magnetic field)?

A) 3 years
B) 5 days
C) 11 years
D) 22 years

Question 57

Which of the following is evidence that solar activity affects Earth's climate?

A) The Maunder Minimum-a period of abnormally low sunspot numbers-coincided with abnormally cold northern winters.
B) The Schwab Cycle-a period of abnormally numerous and large sunspots-preceded a 250-year drought in Africa.
C) The dust bowl of the 1930s in the United States coincided with the complete disappearance of sunspots during that time.
D) All of these choices are correct.

Question 58

Why does the number of sunspots change over time?

A) The temperature of the Sun increases and decreases over time.
B) The brightness of the Sun increases and decreases with time.
C) The Sun's magnetic field changes in strength and shape with time.
D) The solar wind changes speed with time, obscuring them.
E) The number of sunspots does not change-the spots are simply on the other side.

Question 59

How long is it between peaks in the number of sunspots?

A) 11 months
B) 5 years
C) 2.5 years
D) 11 years
E) 22 years

Question 60

Why do sunspots appear dark?

A) They are made of different material than the surrounding gases.
B) They are hotter than the surrounding gases.
C) They are cooler than the surrounding gases.
D) Their magnetic fields block light.

Question 61

Why does the Sun's convection zone exist?

A) There is too much energy passing through the region to transport by radiation.
B) The rate of energy transport is too low for radiation to be efficient.
C) It serves as a way to replenish the core with hydrogen.
D) The sun does not have a convection zone.

Question 62

What is the approximate density of the Sun's core?

A) 1.6 g/cm ³
B) 16 g/cm ³
C) 160 g/cm ³
D) 1600 g/cm ³

Question 63

How do we know the Sun is in hydrostatic equilibrium?

A) It is not exploding.
B) It is not collapsing.
C) It is not growing colder.
D) All of these choices are correct.
E) None of these choices are correct.

Question 64

What was the "solar neutrino puzzle"?

A) Neutrinos fired at the Sun's core were not reflecting properly back to Earth.
B) The Sun's core was producing too many neutrinos.
C) Particle accelerators on Earth were interfering with the Sun's core.
D) The sun did not produce any neutrinos, indicating it cannot be powered by fusion.
E) Neutrinos from the Sun were spontaneously changing into unexpected types.

Question 65

The average density of the Sun is about the same as that of Jupiter.

Question 66

One method of measuring the distance between Earth and the Sun is by bouncing radar waves off the Sun.

Question 67

Astronomers use Wien's law to measure the temperature at the Sun's interior.

Question 68

Astronomers use theory to determine the temperature of the Sun's core, because they cannot measure the core temperature directly.

Question 69

The gases at the interior of the Sun are in a state of plasma, i.e., an ionized gas.

Question 70

Starting from the core, the internal temperatures of the Sun decreases gradually until reaching the photosphere.

Question 71

The Sun's surface is hotter than the Solar corona.

Question 72

The convection zone constantly cycles fresh hydrogen into the Sun's core and moves created helium into the outer parts of the star.

Question 73

The light produced in the Sun's core is able to pass freely through the Sun.

Question 74

Coronal holes are cooler parts of the corona from which the solar wind escapes.

Question 75

The ideal gas law implies that raising the temperature and density of a gas increases the pressure of the gas.

Question 76

According to the ideal gas law, the only way to have high pressure is by having a high density.

Question 77

Seismic waves observed at the surface of the Sun provide clues about the temperature and the density of the solar interior.

Question 78

The nuclear fusion that occurs in the Sun's core causes the total mass of the Sun to decrease in time.

Question 79

The Sun converts mass to energy through the proton-proton chain.

Question 80

The mass of an entire hydrogen atom is converted into energy during the proton-proton chain.