Astronomy Chapter 8
What does a Maunder butterfly diagram show? During the 11 year sunspot cycle, the spots begin at high latitude and then form progressively closer to the equator. The sun's magnetic field is simple at the beginning of a sunspot cycle and grows progressively more complex due to differential rotation. When a butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil, it affects the climate worldwide. Between the years 1645 and 1715, the low activity on the sun correlates with the Little Ice Age. Planetary nebulae do not all have spherical symmetry.
During the 11 year sunspot cycle, the spots begin at high latitude and then form progressively closer to the equator.
What solved the solar neutrino problem? It was discovered that electron neutrinos do not penetrate rock as easily as expected. Some of the radioactive argon gas was found leaking out of the neutrino detector undetected. The finding that chlorine does not interact with electron neutrinos as predicted. The discovery that neutrinos oscillate between three different types. The standard model of energy production within the sun was modified.
The discovery that neutrinos oscillate between three different types.
Why is the center of a granule brighter than its edges? The temperature is higher at the center. The surface elevation is higher at the center. The surface elevation is lower at the center. The temperature is lower at the center. The surface elevation is higher at the center and the surface elevation is lower at the center. Correct: Your answer is correct.
The temperature is higher at the center.
Sunspots are which of the following? cooler areas in the photosphere poles of solar magnetic fields darker areas in the photosphere all of the above
all of the above
What is a solar flare? an ejection of solar material from the corona the same thing as a filament an eruption of solar material from the photosphere solar material from the chromosphere following the arches of the Sun's magnetic field
an eruption of solar material from the photosphere
How can solar flares affect Earth? auroras communication blackouts both of the above The Sun is much too far away for flares to affect Earth.
both of the above
What heats the chromosphere and corona to high temperatures? fluctuating magnetic fields from below that transport energy outward short-wavelength electromagnetic radiation emitted by layers below long-wavelength electromagnetic radiation emitted by layers below sun-grazing comets giving up their energy of motion as they vaporize in these two layers visible light emitted by layers below
fluctuating magnetic fields from below that transport energy outward
What is the evidence in the photosphere of the type of energy transport occurring beneath it? granulation sunspots filaments spicules
granulation
What evidence can you give that the corona has a very high temperature? from coronagraphs it emits ultraviolet radiation it emits x-rays it is far from the photosphere
it emits x-rays
Which active feature in the sun's atmosphere, seen from a different point of view, corresponds precisely to the dark filaments that are observed with a hydrogen alpha filter? coronal hole solar flare sunspot prominence spicule
prominence
What is responsible for the sun's surface and atmospheric activity? the sun sweeping up interstellar space debris. gravitational interactions between the sun and the planets. many comets impacting the sun. gravitational contraction of the sun. the sun's magnetic field.
the sun's magnetic field
The sunspot cycle could be explained by which of the following? magnetic fields in the photosphere caused by convection the fact that it repeats itself every 11 years twisting and turning of the Sun's magnetic field with the Sun's rotation splitting of spectral lines by the Sun's magnetic field
twisting and turning of the Sun's magnetic field with the Sun's rotation
How are astronomers able to explore the layers of the sun below the photosphere? Highly reflective space probes have plunged below the photosphere and sampled the sun's interior. Long-wavelength radar pulses penetrate the photosphere and rebound from deeper layers within the sun. By observing solar X rays and gamma rays with space telescopes. These shorter wavelengths are emitted from hotter regions below the photosphere. By measuring and modeling the modes of vibration of the sun's surface. Short-wavelength radar pulses penetrate the photosphere and rebound from deeper layers within the sun.
By measuring and modeling the modes of vibration of the sun's surface.
(c) Rank the following layers of the solar atmosphere in order of increasing wavelengths of their peak-emissions: chromosphere, corona, photosphere.
Corona, chromosphee, photosphere
Which layer of the sun's atmosphere contains the cooler low-density gas responsible for absorption lines in the sun's spectrum? photosphere chromosphere corona solar wind all of the above
photosphere
(b) Rank the following layers of the solar atmosphere in order of increasing temperature: chromosphere, corona, photosphere.
photosphere, chromosphere, corona
Which layer is considered the "surface" of the Sun? the corona the chromosphere the photosphere none of the above
the photosphere
Why does fusion occur in the layer(s) that it does? Only the core is hot enough. Any layer of the Sun is hot enough. Only the photosphere is cool enough. Only the corona is hot enough.
Only the core is hot enough.
Why can't you see deeper into the photosphere? No light is being emitted in the deep photosphere. The photosphere is blocked by the chromosphere. The upper photosphere blocks the light from the deep photosphere. The deep photosphere does not emit visible wavelengths.
The upper photosphere blocks the light from the deep photosphere
What evidence is there that sunspots are magnetic? They are darker than their surroundings. Their spectra show the Zeeman effect. Actually, there is not evidence of this. Their temperatures are cooler than their surroundings.
Their spectra show the Zeeman effect.
What is the reason that the evidence in part (b) suggests the type of energy transport in part (a)? The sun gives off radiation. There is no evidence of the types of energy transport occurring in the sun. These features are at a much lower temperature than the rest of the photosphere. These features are cooler at their edges and hotter at their centers.
These features are cooler at their edges and hotter at their centers.
What happens to the neutrinos that are produced in the proton-proton chain? They collide immediately with other particles, thus adding to the gas pressure that supports the sun against gravitational contraction. They are blocked by the Coulomb barrier and remain inside the sun. They head out of the sun at nearly the speed of light. They spiral out along magnetic field lines to become cosmic rays. They combine with antineutrinos and form a pair of gamma rays.
They head out of the sun at nearly the speed of light.
How can astronomers detect neutrinos from the Sun? They observe nuclear reactions triggered by neutrino collisions in large underground pools of chemicals. Astronomers cannot detect neutrinos. They are too light and too fast-moving. They use very thick blocks of lead. They are observed as one of the types of particles in the solar wind.
They observe nuclear reactions triggered by neutrino collisions in large underground pools of chemicals.
How did neutrino oscillation affect the detection of solar neutrinos by the Davis experiment? Davis's experiment collected approximately twice as many neutrinos as expected. Davis's experiment collected approximately three times as many neutrinos as expected. Davis's experiment collected the expected amount of neutrinos. Davis's experiment collected approximately one-third as many neutrinos as expected.
Davis's experiment collected approximately one-third as many neutrinos as expected.
Why does nuclear fusion require high temperatures? High temperature is necessary so protons can get close enough together to overcome the Coulomb barrier. High temperature ensures that collisions between electrons are violent. High temperature is necessary to allow neutrinos to combine and make larger particles. High temperature is necessary so neutrons can get close enough together to overcome the weak force barrier. Correct: Your answer is correct.
High temperature is necessary so protons can get close enough together to overcome the Coulomb barrier.
Based on what you learned about nuclear fusion in the Sun, select all of the correct statements from the following list. Neutrinos oscillate among three different types. Due to the required temperatures, fusion occurs only in the core of the Sun. For nuclei to combine, temperatures must be very high. During the proton-proton chain, helium is made into hydrogen. Gamma rays produced by fusion make it to the solar surface much faster than neutrinos. The number of neutrinos observed to be coming from the Sun is the amount we expect. Since we observed light from the photosphere, some fusion must be occurring there.
Neutrinos oscillate among three different types. Due to the required temperatures, fusion occurs only in the core of the Sun. For nuclei to combine, temperatures must be very high. The number of neutrinos observed to be coming from the Sun is the amount we expect.
Based on what you learned about solar activity, select all of the correct statements from the following list. The Sun does not rotate. Solar activity can produce auroras and communication blackouts on Earth. The solar constant never changes. Sunspots are cooler areas of the photosphere. Numbers of sunspots vary in approximately an 11-year cycle.
Solar activity can produce auroras and communication blackouts on Earth. Sunspots are cooler areas of the photosphere. Numbers of sunspots vary in approximately an 11-year cycle.
What evidence do we have that the granulation seen on the sun's surface is caused by convection? The bright centers of granules are cooler than their dark boundaries and Doppler measurements indicate that the centers are rising and edges are sinking. The bright centers of granules are cooler than their dark boundaries. The bright centers of granules are hotter than their dark boundaries. Doppler measurements indicate that the centers are rising and edges are sinking. The bright centers of granules are hotter than their dark boundaries and Doppler measurements indicate that the centers are rising and edges are sinking.
The bright centers of granules are hotter than their dark boundaries and Doppler measurements indicate that the centers are rising and edges are sinking.
What is the source of the sun's changing magnetic field? The differential rotation of the sun and the sun's large iron core. convection beneath the photosphere the differential rotation of the sun The differential rotation of the sun and convection beneath the photosphere. the sun's large iron core
The differential rotation of the sun and convection beneath the photosphere.
Four protons are combined in the proton-proton chain to make one helium nucleus. But, a helium nucleus only contains two protons. What has happened to two of the protons from the first step of the chain? The protons transform into neutrons by each emitting a positron and a neutrino. The protons are ejected into the radiative zone before being carried outward into the convective zone. One proton decays into a positron and then further decays into a neutrino. The other proton bonds with an electron to become a neutral hydrogen atom. The protons transform entirely into energy according to Einstein's famous equation, E = mc2.
The protons transform into neutrons by each emitting a positron and a neutrino.
What evidence do we have that sunspots are magnetic? Observations show that the north pole and south pole sunspots attract one another and move closer together over time. The spectral lines of sunspots are split by the Zeeman Effect and observations at far ultraviolet show material arched above the sun's surface from one sunspot to another. The spectral lines of sunspots are split by the Zeeman Effect and observations show that the north pole and south pole sunspots attract one another and move closer together over time. The spectral lines of sunspots are split by the Zeeman Effect. Observations at far ultraviolet show material arched above the sun's surface from one sunspot to another.
The spectral lines of sunspots are split by the Zeeman Effect and observations at far ultraviolet show material arched above the sun's surface from one sunspot to another.
What are the general trends in temperature and density from the photosphere to the chromosphere to the corona? The temperature increases and density decreases. The temperature decreases and density decreases. The temperature decreases and density increases. The temperature and density remain constant. The temperature increases and density increases.
The temperature increases and density decreases.
At what wavelengths is a solar flare observed? visible ultraviolet x-ray all of the above
all of the above
What type of energy transport is occurring just below the photosphere? radiation convection we do not know, since we cannot see below the photosphere conduction
convection
(a) Rank the following layers of the solar atmosphere in order from the outermost to the innermost: chromosphere, corona, photosphere.
corona, chromosphere, photosphere
How are astronomers able to explore the layers of the solar interior? by sending space probes into the solar interior they can't; they just guess what happens in the interior based on what is happening in the outer layers with coronagraphs and filtergrams from Doppler shifts on the solar surface
from Doppler shifts on the solar surface
To which of these are sunspots NOT related? the Sun's magnetic field the auroras areas of lower temperatures on the Sun's surface none of the above
none of the above
Which is not considered a layer of the solar interior? core photosphere convective zone radiative zone
photosphere
An attempt to explain the sunspot cycle is which of the following? the dynamo effect the Zeeman effect the Maunder butterfly model the Babcock model
the Babcock model
Where in the Sun does nuclear fusion occur? the core the corona the photosphere everywhere in the Sun
the core
Which of the following is the hottest part of the Sun? the core the radiative zone the corona
the core
Which area is of super-hot gas that extends farthest from the Sun? the corona the convection zone the photosphere
the corona
