Question 1

A supergranule on the Sun is

Accepted Answer

A)  a large area of slowly rising and falling gas containing hundreds of ordinary granules. 
B)  another name for a large, long-lived sunspot group. 
C)  a large area in which the rapid convection of the gas destroys all granules that would otherwise form in that area. 
D)  a very large but otherwise ordinary granule in the photosphere. 
A)  a large area of slowly rising and falling gas containing hundreds of ordinary granules. 
B)  another name for a large, long-lived sunspot group. 
C)  a large area in which the rapid convection of the gas destroys all granules that would otherwise form in that area. 
D)  a very large but otherwise ordinary granule in the photosphere.

Question 2

What term is given to the visible "surface" of the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)  prominence 
B)  corona 
C)  chromosphere 
D)  photosphere 
A)  prominence 
B)  corona 
C)  chromosphere 
D)  photosphere

Question 3

How does the temperature inside the umbra of a sunspot compare with the solar photosphere outside the sunspot?

Accepted Answer

A)  The umbra is about 100 K hotter. 
B)  The umbra is about 4000 K cooler 
C)  The umbra is about 1500 K cooler. 
D)  They are about the same temperature, the umbra being an absorbing layer over the sunspot. 
A)  The umbra is about 100 K hotter. 
B)  The umbra is about 4000 K cooler 
C)  The umbra is about 1500 K cooler. 
D)  They are about the same temperature, the umbra being an absorbing layer over the sunspot.

Question 4

If a solar flare produces an X-ray outburst and also triggers a coronal mass ejection (CME), what will be the arrival times of these components, referenced to the time of occurrence on the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)  The X-rays arrive within a few seconds of the flare, while the CME material arrives about an hour after the flare. 
B)  Disturbances on Earth from each of these components occur about 2 days after the flare. 
C)  The disturbances from these outbursts occur almost simultaneously on Earth, about 8 minutes after the flare, because the CME material travels almost at the speed of light. 
D)  The X-rays arrive about 8 minutes after the flare, while the CME material arrives after about 2 days. 
A)  The X-rays arrive within a few seconds of the flare, while the CME material arrives about an hour after the flare. 
B)  Disturbances on Earth from each of these components occur about 2 days after the flare. 
C)  The disturbances from these outbursts occur almost simultaneously on Earth, about 8 minutes after the flare, because the CME material travels almost at the speed of light. 
D)  The X-rays arrive about 8 minutes after the flare, while the CME material arrives after about 2 days.

Question 5

What is surprising about the atmosphere of the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)  The pressure of the Sun's atmosphere, after dropping just above the photosphere, rises again to a value equivalent to that at the photosphere at the top of the chromosphere. 
B)  The density of the Sun's atmosphere, after falling rapidly above the photosphere, rises again significantly in the chromosphere. 
C)  The temperature of the Sun's atmosphere, after rising continuously from below the photosphere through the chromosphere, falls again suddenly in the corona. 
D)  The temperature of the Sun's atmosphere, after falling above the photosphere, rises again to reach very high values high in the atmosphere. 
A)  The pressure of the Sun's atmosphere, after dropping just above the photosphere, rises again to a value equivalent to that at the photosphere at the top of the chromosphere. 
B)  The density of the Sun's atmosphere, after falling rapidly above the photosphere, rises again significantly in the chromosphere. 
C)  The temperature of the Sun's atmosphere, after rising continuously from below the photosphere through the chromosphere, falls again suddenly in the corona. 
D)  The temperature of the Sun's atmosphere, after falling above the photosphere, rises again to reach very high values high in the atmosphere.

Question 6

The Sun has existed for a very long time without substantial change in its appearance or behavior, so it must be in hydrostatic equilibrium. Under these conditions, which two parameters must be in balance at all points throughout the Sun's interior?

Accepted Answer

A)  magnetic field and the force of gravity 
B)  force of gravity and outward gas pressure 
C)  numbers of hydrogen and helium nuclei 
D)  hydrogen gas pressure and helium gas pressure 
A)  magnetic field and the force of gravity 
B)  force of gravity and outward gas pressure 
C)  numbers of hydrogen and helium nuclei 
D)  hydrogen gas pressure and helium gas pressure

Question 7

What is a plage?

Accepted Answer

A)  sudden eruption on the photosphere in the vicinity of a sunspot group 
B)  region in the corona that looks bright against the darkness of space but dark against the brighter photosphere 
C)  bright area in the chromosphere 
D)  bright area on the photosphere 
A)  sudden eruption on the photosphere in the vicinity of a sunspot group 
B)  region in the corona that looks bright against the darkness of space but dark against the brighter photosphere 
C)  bright area in the chromosphere 
D)  bright area on the photosphere

Question 8

The energy transfer process that operates in the Sun via matter flows is known as

Accepted Answer

A)  convection. 
B)  radiation. 
C)  thermonuclear fusion. 
D)  conduction. 
A)  convection. 
B)  radiation. 
C)  thermonuclear fusion. 
D)  conduction.

A supergranule on the Sun is

What term is given to the visible "surface" of the Sun?

How does the temperature inside the umbra of a sunspot compare with the solar photosphere outside the sunspot?

If a solar flare produces an X-ray outburst and also triggers a coronal mass ejection (CME), what will be the arrival times of these components, referenced to the time of occurrence on the Sun?

What is surprising about the atmosphere of the Sun?

The Sun has existed for a very long time without substantial change in its appearance or behavior, so it must be in hydrostatic equilibrium. Under these conditions, which two parameters must be in balance at all points throughout the Sun's interior?

What is a plage?

The energy transfer process that operates in the Sun via matter flows is known as

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Atomic Physics and Spectra

Exoplanets and the Formation of Planetary Systems

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Moon

The Other Terrestrial Planets

The Outer Planets

Vagabonds of the Solar System

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Death of Stars

Black Holes: Matters of Gravity

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters

Exam 11: The Sun: Our Extraordinary Star

A supergranule on the Sun is

What term is given to the visible "surface" of the Sun?

How does the temperature inside the umbra of a sunspot compare with the solar photosphere outside the sunspot?

If a solar flare produces an X-ray outburst and also triggers a coronal mass ejection (CME), what will be the arrival times of these components, referenced to the time of occurrence on the Sun?

What is surprising about the atmosphere of the Sun?

The Sun has existed for a very long time without substantial change in its appearance or behavior, so it must be in hydrostatic equilibrium. Under these conditions, which two parameters must be in balance at all points throughout the Sun's interior?

What is a plage?

The energy transfer process that operates in the Sun via matter flows is known as

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Atomic Physics and Spectra

Exoplanets and the Formation of Planetary Systems

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Moon

The Other Terrestrial Planets

The Outer Planets

Vagabonds of the Solar System

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Death of Stars

Black Holes: Matters of Gravity

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters