Question 1

We can determine how the density changes with radius in the Sun using:

Accepted Answer

A) radar observations 
B) neutrino detections 
C) high-energy (gamma ray)observations 
D) helioseismology 
E) infrared observations 
A) radar observations 
B) neutrino detections 
C) high-energy (gamma ray)observations 
D) helioseismology 
E) infrared observations

Question 2

If the Sun converts 5 × 1011 kg of H to He per second and 10 percent of the Sun's total mass is available for nuclear burning,how long might we expect the Sun to live?

Accepted Answer

A) 104 years 
B) 108 years 
C) 1010 years 
D) 1011 years 
E) 1014 years 
A) 104 years 
B) 108 years 
C) 1010 years 
D) 1011 years 
E) 1014 years

Question 3

Hydrostatic equilibrium is a balance between:

Accepted Answer

A) heat and centrifugal force 
B) core temperature and surface temperature 
C) pressure and gravity 
D) radiation and heat 
E) centrifugal force and gravity 
A) heat and centrifugal force 
B) core temperature and surface temperature 
C) pressure and gravity 
D) radiation and heat 
E) centrifugal force and gravity

Question 4

Explain why magnetic fields trap coronal gas over much of the solar surface but allow it to escape in coronal holes.

Accepted Answer

Most of the solar magnetic field consist

Question 5

When,during its 11-year cycle,is the Sun most luminous? What might this have to do with the Maunder Minimum?

Accepted Answer

The Sun is most luminous during solar ma

Question 6

When two atomic nuclei come together to form a new species of atom,this is called:

Accepted Answer

A) nuclear fission 
B) nuclear recombination 
C) nuclear splitting 
D) nuclear fusion 
E) ionization 
A) nuclear fission 
B) nuclear recombination 
C) nuclear splitting 
D) nuclear fusion 
E) ionization

Question 7

The net effect of the proton-proton chain is that four hydrogen nuclei are converted to one helium nucleus and _________ are released.

Accepted Answer

A) visible wavelength photons 
B) gamma ray photons,positrons,and neutrinos 
C) ultraviolet photons and neutrinos 
D) X-ray photons,electrons,and neutrinos 
E) infrared photons and positrons 
A) visible wavelength photons 
B) gamma ray photons,positrons,and neutrinos 
C) ultraviolet photons and neutrinos 
D) X-ray photons,electrons,and neutrinos 
E) infrared photons and positrons

Question 8

In the proton-proton chain,the net reaction is that 4 protons are converted into 1 helium nucleus.What other byproducts are released in this reaction,and why?

Accepted Answer

Energy is released in the form of gamma

Question 9

What is "limb darkening"? Explain why limb darkening occurs in the Sun.

Accepted Answer

Limb darkening means that the edges of t

Question 10

The solar spectrum is an example of a(n)_________ spectrum.

Accepted Answer

A) emission 
B) absorption 
C) continuum 
D) blackbody 
E) X-ray 
A) emission 
B) absorption 
C) continuum 
D) blackbody 
E) X-ray

Question 11

If the Sun went through a period where there were many sunspots for a number of decades straight,what would happen to the climate of the Earth?

Accepted Answer

Because the luminosity of the

Question 12

The solar neutrino problem was solved by postulating that neutrinos have a small mass and oscillate between three different types of neutrino.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Which of the following layers of the Sun makes up the majority of its interior?

Accepted Answer

A) the core 
B) the radiative zone 
C) the convective zone 
D) the photosphere 
E) the chromosphere 
A) the core 
B) the radiative zone 
C) the convective zone 
D) the photosphere 
E) the chromosphere

Question 14

Sunspots appear dark because they have _________ than the surrounding gas.

Accepted Answer

A) higher densities 
B) lower densities 
C) higher pressures 
D) lower temperatures 
E) higher temperatures 
A) higher densities 
B) lower densities 
C) higher pressures 
D) lower temperatures 
E) higher temperatures

Question 15

Astronauts in space could be harmed by the high-energy particles given off during a solar flare.So,when a solar flare is observed,a warning can be given to astronauts to tell them to get inside the space station for protection.Explain why there is enough time between the first observation of a flare and the arrival of the harmful particles for this system to work.

Accepted Answer

The first sign of a solar flare to arriv

Question 16

The Sun's corona has a temperature of approximately 1 million degrees.At what wavelength and in what part of the electromagnetic spectrum does its radiation peak?

Accepted Answer

A) 550 nm,visible 
B) 2 × 10−5 m,infrared 
C) 4 × 10−7 m,ultraviolet 
D) 3 × 10−9 m,X-rays 
E) 6 m,radio 
A) 550 nm,visible 
B) 2 × 10−5 m,infrared 
C) 4 × 10−7 m,ultraviolet 
D) 3 × 10−9 m,X-rays 
E) 6 m,radio

Question 17

The fact that the surface of the Sun rings like a bell lets us understand its interior better.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

If neutrinos oscillated between five different types of neutrino during their transit from the Sun to Earth,then how many neutrinos would we have detected compared to what was emitted by the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A) one-half as many 
B) one-third as many 
C) one-fourth as many 
D) one-fifth as many 
E) We would detect no neutrinos. 
A) one-half as many 
B) one-third as many 
C) one-fourth as many 
D) one-fifth as many 
E) We would detect no neutrinos.

Question 19

If a coronal mass ejection occurred on the Sun and ejected particles toward the Earth that traveled at the speed of 1,000 km/s,how long would it take them to reach Earth?

Accepted Answer

Using ν = d/t and d 1 AU = 1.5

Question 20

Light from the Sun's photosphere reaches Earth approximately _________ times faster than photons released in fusion in the core.

Accepted Answer

A) 1,000 
B) 600,000 
C) 1 million 
D) 6 billion 
E) 10 billion 
A) 1,000 
B) 600,000 
C) 1 million 
D) 6 billion 
E) 10 billion

Exam 14: Our Starthe Sun

We can determine how the density changes with radius in the Sun using:

If the Sun converts 5 × 1011 kg of H to He per second and 10 percent of the Sun's total mass is available for nuclear burning,how long might we expect the Sun to live?

Hydrostatic equilibrium is a balance between:

Explain why magnetic fields trap coronal gas over much of the solar surface but allow it to escape in coronal holes.

When,during its 11-year cycle,is the Sun most luminous? What might this have to do with the Maunder Minimum?

When two atomic nuclei come together to form a new species of atom,this is called:

The net effect of the proton-proton chain is that four hydrogen nuclei are converted to one helium nucleus and _________ are released.

In the proton-proton chain,the net reaction is that 4 protons are converted into 1 helium nucleus.What other byproducts are released in this reaction,and why?

What is "limb darkening"? Explain why limb darkening occurs in the Sun.

The solar spectrum is an example of a(n)_________ spectrum.

If the Sun went through a period where there were many sunspots for a number of decades straight,what would happen to the climate of the Earth?

The solar neutrino problem was solved by postulating that neutrinos have a small mass and oscillate between three different types of neutrino.

Which of the following layers of the Sun makes up the majority of its interior?

Sunspots appear dark because they have _________ than the surrounding gas.

The Sun's corona has a temperature of approximately 1 million degrees.At what wavelength and in what part of the electromagnetic spectrum does its radiation peak?

The fact that the surface of the Sun rings like a bell lets us understand its interior better.

If neutrinos oscillated between five different types of neutrino during their transit from the Sun to Earth,then how many neutrinos would we have detected compared to what was emitted by the Sun?

If a coronal mass ejection occurred on the Sun and ejected particles toward the Earth that traveled at the speed of 1,000 km/s,how long would it take them to reach Earth?

Light from the Sun's photosphere reaches Earth approximately _________ times faster than photons released in fusion in the core.

Why Learn Astronomy

Patterns in the Skymotions of Earth

Motion of Astronomical Bodies

Gravity and Orbits

Light

The Tools of the Astronomer

The Birth and Evolution of Planetary Systems

The Terrestrial Planets and Earths Moon

Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets

Worlds of Gas and Liquid the Giant Planets

Planetary Adornments Moons and Rings

Dwarf Planets and Small Solar System Bodies

Taking the Measure of Stars

Star Formation and the Interstellar Medium

Evolution of Low-Mass Stars

Evolution of High-Mass Stars

Relativity and Black Holes

The Expanding Universe

Galaxies

The Milky Waya Normal Spiral Galaxy

Modern Cosmology

Large-Scale Structure in the Universe

Life

Filters

If the Sun converts 5 × 10¹¹ kg of H to He per second and 10 percent of the Sun's total mass is available for nuclear burning,how long might we expect the Sun to live?