Module 5 Learning Activity (M5-B)

1) At a temperature of approximately 6,000 Kelvin, the photosphere is the coolest of the Sun’s layers. The outer layers are hotter than the photosphere because the Sun’s magnetic field pumps energy upward into the corona. These magnetic fields also cause sunspots to appear on the photosphere and produce cooler temperatures. 2) Sunspots appear on the Sun’s surface caused by magnetic fields poking out into the surface. They are cooler in temperature and can vary in shape and size, however the average size is about the same as 1 Earth. The average cycle of a sunspot is 11 years. Sunspots are darker than their surroundings because they are cooler than the photosphere around them. Since the photosphere is much hotter, it appears brighter than a sunspot, which makes the sunspot look dark. 3) The nuclear fusion is the ultimate source of the Sun’s energy. The Sun converts Hydrogen into Helium using a three-step process. First, two protons collide and one is converted into a neutron and positron. The proton and neutron form to make a deuterium nucleus. Secondly, the deuterium nucleus collides with an additional proton to form a helium-3 nucleus and a gamma ray. Lastly, two helium-3’s collide to form a helium-4 nucleus and release two protons. This process produces helium and energy. 4) Neutrinos have very little mass and hardly ever react with other particles. Most pass right through the Earth and the human body, meaning that, regardless of the time of day, the number of neutrinos passing through your body is roughly the same. 5) Stars are