Question 1

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.E) All of the above
F) C) and D)

Question 2

From which fusion reaction does the Sun derive its power?

Accepted Answer

A)   ⁴He→ O
B)   ²H→ He
C)   ³He→ C
D)   ⁴H→ HeE) A) and C)
F) None of the above

Question 3

Coronal mass injections have all of the following characteristics EXCEPT ONE.Which is the exception?

Accepted Answer

A)   contribute to auroras on Earth
B)   disrupt radio communication
C)   are the major source of hazardous solar particles
D)   cease during the years of solar minimumE) B) and D)
F) A) and B) D

Question 4

What particles are produced by nuclear reactions in the core of the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)   electron neutrinos
B)   muon neutrinos
C)   tau neutrinos
D)   Cerenkov radiationE) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 5

The temperature of the Sun's photosphere is:

Accepted Answer

A)   close to 1 million K.
B)   about 10,000 K.
C)   5800 K.
D)   4300 K.E) None of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 6

In terms of its total hydrogen-burning lifetime,the Sun is about:

Accepted Answer

A)   3/4 of the way through its life.
B)   1/10 of the way through its life.
C)   1/4 of the way through its life.
D)   halfway through its life.E) All of the above
F) A) and D)

Question 7

Differential rotation has been observed on all of the following bodies EXCEPT ONE.Which is the exception?

Accepted Answer

A)   the Sun
B)   Jupiter
C)   Saturn
D)   MarsE) A) and D)
F) A) and C)

Question 8

The granular appearance of the surface of the Sun is evidence of what phenomenon occurring in or on the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)   cells of thermonuclear fusion just under the visible surface
B)   rapid rotation of the surface layers producing swirls of gas
C)   concentration and heating of ionized gas by regions of high magnetic fields
D)   convective motion under the solar surfaceE) A) and C)
F) All of the above

Question 9

The temperature of the corona of the Sun is:

Accepted Answer

A)   very hot, about 10⁶ K.
B)   about twice as hot as the photosphere, 12,000 K.
C)   very cool because it is the farthest part of the Sun from the heat source.
D)   about the same as that of the photosphere, 5800 K.E) A) and B)
F) C) and D)

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

A)   Most neutrinos combine with protons to form neutrons.
B)   Most neutrinos collide and stick together with protons to form helium nuclei.
C)   Most neutrinos collide with electrons, producing energy.
D)   Most neutrinos escape from the Sun into space.E) C) and D)
F) B) and C)

Question 11

What is the structure of a typical large sunspot?

Accepted Answer

A)   an irregular dark area of uniform darkness
B)   a round region of uniformly dark photospheric surface
C)   a roughly circular, dark region with a lighter central area, like a bullseye
D)   a dark center surrounded by a less dark areaE) A) and D)
F) None of the above

Question 12

The extremely high gas temperatures in the solar corona mean that this region is best observed at wavelengths of:

Accepted Answer

A)   X rays.
B)   visible light.
C)   Balmer Hα light from hydrogen gas.
D)   infrared light.E) None of the above
F) B) and D) A

Question 13

If the solar wind particles have speeds of 3 × 10⁶ km/h,how long will it take for them to travel from the Sun to Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)   50,000 hours, or 2000 days
B)   5 hours, or less than 1/4 day
C)   0.5 hour, or about 30 minutes
D)   50 hours, or about 2 daysE) A) and B)
F) B) and D)

Question 14

The solar wind is:

Accepted Answer

A)   the flow of matter onto the Sun under gravitational attraction.
B)   ionized hydrogen gas and electrons orbiting the Sun between its surface and the planet Mercury.
C)   a violent, explosive expansion of specific regions of the Sun's atmosphere at certain times.
D)   a gentle flow of solar material, mostly protons and electrons, that is always moving outward from the Sun.E) A) and D)
F) C) and D)

Question 15

What is the name given to a large loop of bright gas extending outward from the edge of the Sun (often seen during total solar eclipses) ?

Accepted Answer

A)   prominence
B)   spicule
C)   filament
D)   plageE) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 16

Which occurrence led astronomers to the conclusion that the temperature of the gases in the solar corona was very high?

Accepted Answer

A)   detection of emission lines from highly ionized elements like iron
B)   measurement of the brightness and spectrum of the continuum visible light from the corona during eclipses
C)   direct measurements using space probes exploring the corona
D)   observation of the effect of these gases on the planets Mercury and VenusE) B) and D)
F) A) and D)

Question 17

X-ray observations of the corona reveal lighter and darker spots,the latter indication where the coronal is cooler.These darker spots are the source of:

Accepted Answer

A)   granules.
B)   spicules.
C)   sunspots.
D)   the solar wind.E) C) and D)
F) B) and D)

Question 18

The Zeeman effect describes the change in wavelength of emitted light caused by:

Accepted Answer

A)   the light passing through a transparent medium.
B)   magnetic fields acting on the radiating atoms.
C)   the atoms being in an extremely intense gravitational field.
D)   relative motion of the source and observer.E) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 19

How does the number of sunspots on the Sun vary with time?

Accepted Answer

A)   The number of sunspots varies relatively regularly, with a period of about 11 years.
B)   The number of sunspots varies irregularly, with no periodicity.
C)   The number of sunspots increases and decreases with a precise period of 11.1 years.
D)   The number of sunspots increases for about 11 years and then decreases again over the next 11 years.E) A) and D)
F) C) and D) A

Question 20

The polarity of the Sun's magnetic field reverses during a sunspot cycle.When does this reversal take place?

Accepted Answer

A)   when the sunspot number is minimum, about every 11 years
B)   when the sunspot number is minimum, about every 22 years
C)   when the sunspot number is maximum, about every 11 years
D)   when the sunspot number is maximum, about every 22 yearsE) C) and D)
F) A) and C)

Exam 9: The Sun: Our Extraordinary Ordinary Star

What is surprising about the atmosphere of the Sun?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

From which fusion reaction does the Sun derive its power?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Coronal mass injections have all of the following characteristics EXCEPT ONE.Which is the exception?

Correct AnswerverifiedD

What particles are produced by nuclear reactions in the core of the Sun?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The temperature of the Sun's photosphere is:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In terms of its total hydrogen-burning lifetime,the Sun is about:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Differential rotation has been observed on all of the following bodies EXCEPT ONE.Which is the exception?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The granular appearance of the surface of the Sun is evidence of what phenomenon occurring in or on the Sun?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The temperature of the corona of the Sun is:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the structure of a typical large sunspot?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The extremely high gas temperatures in the solar corona mean that this region is best observed at wavelengths of:

Correct AnswerverifiedA

If the solar wind particles have speeds of 3 × 10⁶ km/h,how long will it take for them to travel from the Sun to Earth?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The solar wind is:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the name given to a large loop of bright gas extending outward from the edge of the Sun (often seen during total solar eclipses) ?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which occurrence led astronomers to the conclusion that the temperature of the gases in the solar corona was very high?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

X-ray observations of the corona reveal lighter and darker spots,the latter indication where the coronal is cooler.These darker spots are the source of:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Zeeman effect describes the change in wavelength of emitted light caused by:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How does the number of sunspots on the Sun vary with time?

Correct AnswerverifiedA

The polarity of the Sun's magnetic field reverses during a sunspot cycle.When does this reversal take place?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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