Question 1

Apart from the helium nuclei and energy that are produced in proton-proton reactions in the Sun's core,what are the other by-products?

Accepted Answer

A)  protons, neutrinos, and negative electrons 
B)  gamma rays, negative electrons, and neutrinos 
C)  gamma rays and neutrinos 
D)  positive electrons (positrons), gamma rays, and neutrinos 
A)  protons, neutrinos, and negative electrons 
B)  gamma rays, negative electrons, and neutrinos 
C)  gamma rays and neutrinos 
D)  positive electrons (positrons), gamma rays, and neutrinos

Question 2

What is the solar wind?

Accepted Answer

A)  the constant flux of photons from the Sun's visible surface 
B)  material from the corona, accelerated out into space 
C)  a storm of waves and vortices on the Sun's surface generated by a solar flare 
D)  the circulation of gases in the chromosphere, between the equator and the poles of the Sun 
A)  the constant flux of photons from the Sun's visible surface 
B)  material from the corona, accelerated out into space 
C)  a storm of waves and vortices on the Sun's surface generated by a solar flare 
D)  the circulation of gases in the chromosphere, between the equator and the poles of the Sun

Question 3

A visible light spectrum of the Sun reveals many dark absorption lines.These lines are caused by photon absorption,which takes place in the:

Accepted Answer

A)  corona. 
B)  photosphere. 
C)  sunspot groups. 
D)  solar interior. 
A)  corona. 
B)  photosphere. 
C)  sunspot groups. 
D)  solar interior.

Question 4

What are the MOST energetic eruptive events to occur on the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)  erupting prominences 
B)  coronal mass ejections 
C)  thermonuclear explosions 
D)  solar flares 
A)  erupting prominences 
B)  coronal mass ejections 
C)  thermonuclear explosions 
D)  solar flares

Question 5

What happens to the positrons produced by the nuclear reactions in the core of the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)  The positrons combine with neutrons to form protons. 
B)  The positrons collide and stick together to form helium. 
C)  The positrons collide with electrons, producing energy. 
D)  The positrons escape from the Sun into space. 
A)  The positrons combine with neutrons to form protons. 
B)  The positrons collide and stick together to form helium. 
C)  The positrons collide with electrons, producing energy. 
D)  The positrons escape from the Sun into space.

Question 6

How many Joules of energy would be released if a US penny (2.5 X 10-³ kg)were converted entirely to energy?

Accepted Answer

A)  7.5 X 105 
B)  2.25 X 108 
C)  2.25 X 1014 
D)  2.25 X 1017 
A)  7.5 X 105 
B)  2.25 X 108 
C)  2.25 X 1014 
D)  2.25 X 1017

Question 7

The corona of the Sun has a temperature that is:

Accepted Answer

A)  about 10 K because it merges with cold interstellar space. 
B)  noticeably less than the photosphere, between 1000 to 2000 K. 
C)  about 1 to 2 million K. 
D)  about the same as the photosphere, about 6000 K. 
A)  about 10 K because it merges with cold interstellar space. 
B)  noticeably less than the photosphere, between 1000 to 2000 K. 
C)  about 1 to 2 million K. 
D)  about the same as the photosphere, about 6000 K.

Question 8

What is the source of the X rays emitted by the solar corona?

Accepted Answer

A)  high-energy charged particles spiraling along the coronal magnetic fields 
B)  X rays from the solar photosphere, scattered by ions in the corona 
C)  decay of radioactive nuclei in the coronal gases 
D)  high-temperature gas of the corona 
A)  high-energy charged particles spiraling along the coronal magnetic fields 
B)  X rays from the solar photosphere, scattered by ions in the corona 
C)  decay of radioactive nuclei in the coronal gases 
D)  high-temperature gas of the corona

Question 9

If you look at the center of the Sun,you see into the base of the photosphere at approximately 5800 K.If you look into the Sun nearer the edge,you might see as far as a layer above the base with a temperature of perhaps 5500 K.According to the Stefan-Boltzmann relation,what is the flux in the center of the solar disk compared to the flux near the edge?

Accepted Answer

A)  5500/5800 = 0.95 
B)  5800/5500 = 1.05 
C)  (5800/5500) 2 = 1.11 
D)  (5800/5500) 4 = 1.24 
A)  5500/5800 = 0.95 
B)  5800/5500 = 1.05 
C)  (5800/5500) 2 = 1.11 
D)  (5800/5500) 4 = 1.24

Question 10

The average time taken for energy generated by thermonuclear fusion in the center of the Sun to reach the surface layers and escape is calculated to be:

Accepted Answer

A)  a few hundred thousand years. 
B)  about 1 year. 
C)  only a few seconds. 
D)  about 10 million years. 
A)  a few hundred thousand years. 
B)  about 1 year. 
C)  only a few seconds. 
D)  about 10 million years.

Question 11

In the 1920s,Arthur Eddington made a proposal which proved vital to showing how stars generate energy.This was that:

Accepted Answer

A)  the Sun's core is much hotter than previously thought. 
B)  hydrogen fusion is responsible for the Sun's energy output. 
C)  supernovae are responsible for the creation of heavy elements. 
D)  more massive stars generate energy quickly and have shorter lifetimes. 
A)  the Sun's core is much hotter than previously thought. 
B)  hydrogen fusion is responsible for the Sun's energy output. 
C)  supernovae are responsible for the creation of heavy elements. 
D)  more massive stars generate energy quickly and have shorter lifetimes.

Question 12

What is the Zeeman effect?

Accepted Answer

A)  When a light source is moving relative to an observer, the wavelengths of its spectral lines are shifted to longer or shorter wavelengths. 
B)  When the temperature of a light source is increased, the wavelength of maximum emission decreases. 
C)  When a light source is located in a magnetic field, the emitted spectral lines are split into two or more components. 
D)  When light is focused on a metal surface, electrons are ejected from the metal only if the wavelength of the light is shorter than some critical wavelength. 
A)  When a light source is moving relative to an observer, the wavelengths of its spectral lines are shifted to longer or shorter wavelengths. 
B)  When the temperature of a light source is increased, the wavelength of maximum emission decreases. 
C)  When a light source is located in a magnetic field, the emitted spectral lines are split into two or more components. 
D)  When light is focused on a metal surface, electrons are ejected from the metal only if the wavelength of the light is shorter than some critical wavelength.

Question 13

What is nuclear fusion?

Accepted Answer

A)  a nucleus transforming into a nucleus of a different element by emitting an electron and a neutrino 
B)  the removal of electrons from atoms to form ions 
C)  two nuclei sticking together to form a new, heavier nucleus 
D)  a heavy nucleus splitting apart to form two lighter nuclei 
A)  a nucleus transforming into a nucleus of a different element by emitting an electron and a neutrino 
B)  the removal of electrons from atoms to form ions 
C)  two nuclei sticking together to form a new, heavier nucleus 
D)  a heavy nucleus splitting apart to form two lighter nuclei

Question 14

The solar neutrino experiment designed by Raymond Davis over 30 years ago consistently measured a rate of solar neutrinos arriving at Earth that is:

Accepted Answer

A)  almost exactly equal to the predicted rate. 
B)  less than 1% of the predicted rate. 
C)  almost double the predicted rate. 
D)  about 1/3 of the predicted rate. 
A)  almost exactly equal to the predicted rate. 
B)  less than 1% of the predicted rate. 
C)  almost double the predicted rate. 
D)  about 1/3 of the predicted rate.

Question 15

In measuring solar neutrinos,what would you expect for the variation in the rate of detection in any instrument?

Accepted Answer

A)  The detection rate would rise at sunset and sunrise because solar neutrinos are gravitationally deflected by Earth to increase this rate at these times. 
B)  The rate would remain constant, day and night, because neutrinos pass very easily through Earth. 
C)  The instrument would only detect neutrinos in the daytime because Earth would block these particles during the night. 
D)  The instrument would measure more neutrinos during the night than in daytime because solar neutrinos would react with nuclei in Earth to produce more neutrinos at that time. 
A)  The detection rate would rise at sunset and sunrise because solar neutrinos are gravitationally deflected by Earth to increase this rate at these times. 
B)  The rate would remain constant, day and night, because neutrinos pass very easily through Earth. 
C)  The instrument would only detect neutrinos in the daytime because Earth would block these particles during the night. 
D)  The instrument would measure more neutrinos during the night than in daytime because solar neutrinos would react with nuclei in Earth to produce more neutrinos at that time.

Question 16

The surface of the Sun near its edge appears dimmer and cooler than at the center of the disk when viewed in visible light because we see:

Accepted Answer

A)  deeper into the Sun near the edge than at disk center and temperature increases with depth. 
B)  light from the edge that has had to pass through more of the absorbing chromosphere and corona and is thereby reduced in intensity. 
C)  less deeply into the Sun near the edge than at disk center and temperature decreases with depth. 
D)  less deeply into the Sun near the edge than at disk center and temperature increases with depth. 
A)  deeper into the Sun near the edge than at disk center and temperature increases with depth. 
B)  light from the edge that has had to pass through more of the absorbing chromosphere and corona and is thereby reduced in intensity. 
C)  less deeply into the Sun near the edge than at disk center and temperature decreases with depth. 
D)  less deeply into the Sun near the edge than at disk center and temperature increases with depth.

Question 17

The center of the disk of the visible Sun appears brighter than the edges because we see:

Accepted Answer

A)  less radiation from the cooler chromosphere near the edges of the Sun. 
B)  into deeper and hotter layers at the center of the disk. 
C)  into deeper and cooler layers at the center of the solar disk. 
D)  a greater contribution from the corona of the Sun at the center of the disk. 
A)  less radiation from the cooler chromosphere near the edges of the Sun. 
B)  into deeper and hotter layers at the center of the disk. 
C)  into deeper and cooler layers at the center of the solar disk. 
D)  a greater contribution from the corona of the Sun at the center of the disk.

Question 18

The Sun sends charged particles toward Earth,where they contribute to the aurora.Each of the following events contributes substantially to this outflow of particles EXCEPT ONE.Which is the exception?

Accepted Answer

A)  coronal mass injections 
B)  sunspots 
C)  solar flares 
D)  filaments 
A)  coronal mass injections 
B)  sunspots 
C)  solar flares 
D)  filaments

Question 19

The temperature at the center of the Sun,where thermonuclear processes take place,is approximately:

Accepted Answer

A)  6000 K. 
B)  1.5 million K. 
C)  1.5 × 10⁷ K. 
D)  4500 K, as shown by sunspots. 
A)  6000 K. 
B)  1.5 million K. 
C)  1.5 × 10⁷ K. 
D)  4500 K, as shown by sunspots.

Question 20

A typical granule on the surface of the Sun is:

Accepted Answer

A)  about 1000 km across and lasts for a few minutes. 
B)  a few thousand kilometers across and lasts for about two solar rotations. 
C)  about 30,000 km across and lasts for several hours. 
D)  only about 50 km across and cannot be seen from Earth without special equipment. 
A)  about 1000 km across and lasts for a few minutes. 
B)  a few thousand kilometers across and lasts for about two solar rotations. 
C)  about 30,000 km across and lasts for several hours. 
D)  only about 50 km across and cannot be seen from Earth without special equipment.

Apart from the helium nuclei and energy that are produced in proton-proton reactions in the Sun's core,what are the other by-products?

What is the solar wind?

A visible light spectrum of the Sun reveals many dark absorption lines.These lines are caused by photon absorption,which takes place in the:

What are the MOST energetic eruptive events to occur on the Sun?

What happens to the positrons produced by the nuclear reactions in the core of the Sun?

How many Joules of energy would be released if a US penny (2.5 X 10-³ kg)were converted entirely to energy?

The corona of the Sun has a temperature that is:

What is the source of the X rays emitted by the solar corona?

The average time taken for energy generated by thermonuclear fusion in the center of the Sun to reach the surface layers and escape is calculated to be:

In the 1920s,Arthur Eddington made a proposal which proved vital to showing how stars generate energy.This was that:

What is the Zeeman effect?

What is nuclear fusion?

The solar neutrino experiment designed by Raymond Davis over 30 years ago consistently measured a rate of solar neutrinos arriving at Earth that is:

In measuring solar neutrinos,what would you expect for the variation in the rate of detection in any instrument?

The surface of the Sun near its edge appears dimmer and cooler than at the center of the disk when viewed in visible light because we see:

The center of the disk of the visible Sun appears brighter than the edges because we see:

The Sun sends charged particles toward Earth,where they contribute to the aurora.Each of the following events contributes substantially to this outflow of particles EXCEPT ONE.Which is the exception?

The temperature at the center of the Sun,where thermonuclear processes take place,is approximately:

A typical granule on the surface of the Sun is:

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Formation of the Solar System and Other Planetary Systems

Exoplanets

The Terrestrial Planets and Their Moons

The Outer Planets and Their Moons

Vagabonds of the Solar System

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of the Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Deaths and Remnants of Stars

The Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters

Exam 9: The Sun: Our Extraordinary Ordinary Star

Apart from the helium nuclei and energy that are produced in proton-proton reactions in the Sun's core,what are the other by-products?

What is the solar wind?

A visible light spectrum of the Sun reveals many dark absorption lines.These lines are caused by photon absorption,which takes place in the:

What are the MOST energetic eruptive events to occur on the Sun?

What happens to the positrons produced by the nuclear reactions in the core of the Sun?

How many Joules of energy would be released if a US penny (2.5 X 10-³ kg)were converted entirely to energy?

The corona of the Sun has a temperature that is:

What is the source of the X rays emitted by the solar corona?

The average time taken for energy generated by thermonuclear fusion in the center of the Sun to reach the surface layers and escape is calculated to be:

In the 1920s,Arthur Eddington made a proposal which proved vital to showing how stars generate energy.This was that:

What is the Zeeman effect?

What is nuclear fusion?

The solar neutrino experiment designed by Raymond Davis over 30 years ago consistently measured a rate of solar neutrinos arriving at Earth that is:

In measuring solar neutrinos,what would you expect for the variation in the rate of detection in any instrument?

The surface of the Sun near its edge appears dimmer and cooler than at the center of the disk when viewed in visible light because we see:

The center of the disk of the visible Sun appears brighter than the edges because we see:

The Sun sends charged particles toward Earth,where they contribute to the aurora.Each of the following events contributes substantially to this outflow of particles EXCEPT ONE.Which is the exception?

The temperature at the center of the Sun,where thermonuclear processes take place,is approximately:

A typical granule on the surface of the Sun is:

Discovering the Night Sky

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Formation of the Solar System and Other Planetary Systems

Exoplanets

The Terrestrial Planets and Their Moons

The Outer Planets and Their Moons

Vagabonds of the Solar System

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of the Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Deaths and Remnants of Stars

The Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters