Question 1

If the Sun has only a few sunspots today,all appearing at the middle latitudes,what will the surface look like in 11 years?

Accepted Answer

A)  It will have few sunspots, in the middle latitudes. 
B)  It will have many sunspots, near the equator. 
C)  It will have few sunspots, near the poles. 
D)  It will have many sunspots, near the poles. 
A)  It will have few sunspots, in the middle latitudes. 
B)  It will have many sunspots, near the equator. 
C)  It will have few sunspots, near the poles. 
D)  It will have many sunspots, near the poles.

Question 2

Which of the following properties decreases from the Sun's core to its outermost layer?

Accepted Answer

A)  temperature 
B)  density 
C)  helium fraction 
D)  hydrogen line opacity 
A)  temperature 
B)  density 
C)  helium fraction 
D)  hydrogen line opacity

Question 3

Name three aspects of sunspots that depend strongly on the solar magnetic cycle.

Accepted Answer

Their typical latitu

Question 4

Suppose a pair of identical atomic nuclei are manipulated so that the first is given an extra neutron and the second is given an extra proton.Contrast the original and resulting nuclei in terms of mass,chemical properties,and electric charge.

Accepted Answer

The nuclei have identical masses (both l

Question 5

In which of the following ways are earthquakes and oscillations on the Sun similar?

Accepted Answer

A)  They propagate through the entirety of the objects. 
B)  They are measured through the Doppler effect. 
C)  They are caused by energy released in the deep interior of the objects. 
D)  They are the primary method of energy transport from the deep interior of the objects. 
A)  They propagate through the entirety of the objects. 
B)  They are measured through the Doppler effect. 
C)  They are caused by energy released in the deep interior of the objects. 
D)  They are the primary method of energy transport from the deep interior of the objects.

Question 6

If scientists observe a coronal mass ejection,the Sun likely has:

Accepted Answer

A)  fewer sunspots than usual. 
B)  just experienced a polarity reversal. 
C)  no magnetic field lines. 
D)  experienced recent reconnection events. 
A)  fewer sunspots than usual. 
B)  just experienced a polarity reversal. 
C)  no magnetic field lines. 
D)  experienced recent reconnection events.

Question 7

Solar neutrinos:

Accepted Answer

A)  change their identities en route to Earth. 
B)  were not detected in the expected numbers until 2002. 
C)  are a powerful probe of the proton-proton chain. 
D)  all of the above. 
A)  change their identities en route to Earth. 
B)  were not detected in the expected numbers until 2002. 
C)  are a powerful probe of the proton-proton chain. 
D)  all of the above.

Question 8

What powers a star?

Accepted Answer

A)  combustion 
B)  gravitational contraction 
C)  fusion 
D)  fission 
A)  combustion 
B)  gravitational contraction 
C)  fusion 
D)  fission

Question 9

What has provided the best data about the interior of the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)  helioseismology 
B)  sunspots 
C)  the Sun's evolving luminosity 
D)  solar X-rays 
A)  helioseismology 
B)  sunspots 
C)  the Sun's evolving luminosity 
D)  solar X-rays

Question 10

Differentiate nuclear fusion and fission.

Accepted Answer

Fusion occurs when two small n

Question 11

If the Sun's magnetic field lines all closed in upon themselves,we would NOT see:

Accepted Answer

A)  solar prominences. 
B)  solar granules. 
C)  sunspots. 
D)  the solar wind. 
A)  solar prominences. 
B)  solar granules. 
C)  sunspots. 
D)  the solar wind.

Question 12

The most direct measurement of the fusion reactions within the Sun comes from:

Accepted Answer

A)  neutrinos. 
B)  its spectrum. 
C)  its luminosity. 
D)  helioseismology. 
A)  neutrinos. 
B)  its spectrum. 
C)  its luminosity. 
D)  helioseismology.

Question 13

How does the Sun's rotation differ from Earth's?

Accepted Answer

The Sun rotates about once per month,but

Question 14

Approximately what fraction of the Solar System's mass is inside the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)  50% 
B)  75% 
C)  90% 
D)  99.9% 
A)  50% 
B)  75% 
C)  90% 
D)  99.9%

Question 15

The graph below shows the binding energy of atomic nuclei.Based on the energetics shown in this figure,which of the following is an allowable fusion reaction that would release energy?

Accepted Answer

A)  helium-4 to Li-6 
B)  hydrogen-2 to carbon-12 
C)  Fe-56 to O-16 
D)  U-238 to Fe-56 
A)  helium-4 to Li-6 
B)  hydrogen-2 to carbon-12 
C)  Fe-56 to O-16 
D)  U-238 to Fe-56

Question 16

What provides the energy for solar flares?

Accepted Answer

The reconnection of

Question 17

What forces maintain hydrostatic equilibrium in an object?

Accepted Answer

A)  centrifugal force and gravity 
B)  pressure and gravity 
C)  magnetism and gravity 
D)  radiation and pressure 
A)  centrifugal force and gravity 
B)  pressure and gravity 
C)  magnetism and gravity 
D)  radiation and pressure

Question 18

Why does fusion occur only at the center of the Sun?

Accepted Answer

Fusion requires high temperatu

Question 19

Which of the following is true of the solar surface features seen in the image below?

Accepted Answer

A)  The patterns are created in the chromosphere. 
B)  The dark spots have a higher temperature than the light spots. 
C)  The patterns are created by magnetic field variations. 
D)  The light spots have blueshifted absorption features. 
A)  The patterns are created in the chromosphere. 
B)  The dark spots have a higher temperature than the light spots. 
C)  The patterns are created by magnetic field variations. 
D)  The light spots have blueshifted absorption features.

Question 20

What is the origin of the solar feature shown in the image below?

Accepted Answer

This is solar granulation: the

If the Sun has only a few sunspots today,all appearing at the middle latitudes,what will the surface look like in 11 years?

Which of the following properties decreases from the Sun's core to its outermost layer?

Name three aspects of sunspots that depend strongly on the solar magnetic cycle.

Suppose a pair of identical atomic nuclei are manipulated so that the first is given an extra neutron and the second is given an extra proton.Contrast the original and resulting nuclei in terms of mass,chemical properties,and electric charge.

In which of the following ways are earthquakes and oscillations on the Sun similar?

If scientists observe a coronal mass ejection,the Sun likely has:

Solar neutrinos:

What powers a star?

What has provided the best data about the interior of the Sun?

Differentiate nuclear fusion and fission.

If the Sun's magnetic field lines all closed in upon themselves,we would NOT see:

The most direct measurement of the fusion reactions within the Sun comes from:

How does the Sun's rotation differ from Earth's?

Approximately what fraction of the Solar System's mass is inside the Sun?

The graph below shows the binding energy of atomic nuclei.Based on the energetics shown in this figure,which of the following is an allowable fusion reaction that would release energy?

What provides the energy for solar flares?

What forces maintain hydrostatic equilibrium in an object?

Why does fusion occur only at the center of the Sun?

Which of the following is true of the solar surface features seen in the image below?

What is the origin of the solar feature shown in the image below?

Getting Started: Science, astronomy, and Being Human

A Universe Made, a Universe Discovered

A Universe of Universal Laws

A Universe of Universal Laws

The Architecture and Birth of Planetary Systems

Home Base: Earth and Moon

Sibling Worlds: Mercury, Venus, and Mars

Gas, ice, and Stone: the Outer Planets

Life and the Search for Habitable Worlds

Measuring the Stars: the Main Sequence and Its Meaning

Nursery of the Stars: the Interstellar Medium and Star Formation

To the Graveyard of Stars: the End Points of Stellar Evolution

Down the Rabbit Hole: Relativity and Black Holes

Our City of Stars: the Milky Way

A Universe of Galaxies

The Cosmic Web: the Large-Scale Structure of the Universe

Cosmology

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Exam 10: The Sun As a Star

If the Sun has only a few sunspots today,all appearing at the middle latitudes,what will the surface look like in 11 years?

Which of the following properties decreases from the Sun's core to its outermost layer?

Name three aspects of sunspots that depend strongly on the solar magnetic cycle.

Suppose a pair of identical atomic nuclei are manipulated so that the first is given an extra neutron and the second is given an extra proton.Contrast the original and resulting nuclei in terms of mass,chemical properties,and electric charge.

In which of the following ways are earthquakes and oscillations on the Sun similar?

If scientists observe a coronal mass ejection,the Sun likely has:

Solar neutrinos:

What powers a star?

What has provided the best data about the interior of the Sun?

Differentiate nuclear fusion and fission.

If the Sun's magnetic field lines all closed in upon themselves,we would NOT see:

The most direct measurement of the fusion reactions within the Sun comes from:

How does the Sun's rotation differ from Earth's?

Approximately what fraction of the Solar System's mass is inside the Sun?

The graph below shows the binding energy of atomic nuclei.Based on the energetics shown in this figure,which of the following is an allowable fusion reaction that would release energy?

What provides the energy for solar flares?

What forces maintain hydrostatic equilibrium in an object?

Why does fusion occur only at the center of the Sun?

Which of the following is true of the solar surface features seen in the image below?

What is the origin of the solar feature shown in the image below?

Getting Started: Science, astronomy, and Being Human

A Universe Made, a Universe Discovered

A Universe of Universal Laws

A Universe of Universal Laws

The Architecture and Birth of Planetary Systems

Home Base: Earth and Moon

Sibling Worlds: Mercury, Venus, and Mars

Gas, ice, and Stone: the Outer Planets

Life and the Search for Habitable Worlds

Measuring the Stars: the Main Sequence and Its Meaning

Nursery of the Stars: the Interstellar Medium and Star Formation

To the Graveyard of Stars: the End Points of Stellar Evolution

Down the Rabbit Hole: Relativity and Black Holes

Our City of Stars: the Milky Way

A Universe of Galaxies

The Cosmic Web: the Large-Scale Structure of the Universe

Cosmology

Filters