Question 1

Granulation,or the mottled appearance of the whole solar surface,is an indication of what physical process at work in the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)   outflow of neutrinos from the interior
B)   rapid rotation of the Sun
C)   thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen in the Sun's surface layers
D)   convective motion of gases in the upper portion of the Sun's interiorE) A) and C)
F) All of the above

Question 2

Why is the photosphere called the visible surface of the Sun? Each of the statements below is a partial answer to this question EXCEPT ONE.Which is the exception?

Accepted Answer

A)   The photosphere is indeed a surface with nothing above it and an abrupt density increase just below it.
B)   Most of the visible light we see from the Sun originates within the photosphere.
C)   Because of increased density below the photosphere, light originating there is unlikely to survive the journey out of the Sun.
D)   The gas above the photosphere is too rarified to produce a significant amount of light.E) None of the above
F) A) and B)

Question 3

Which phenomeon is NOT a characteristic of the peak period in the solar activity cycle?

Accepted Answer

A)   increased surface temperature on the Sun and a measurable increase in the temperature of Earth's atmosphere
B)   increased solar flare activity with consequent disruption of radio communications on Earth
C)   stronger magnetic field on the Sun and increased numbers of sunspots
D)   enhanced aurora activity on EarthE) None of the above
F) C) and D)

Question 4

What is a plage?

Accepted Answer

A)   a sudden eruption on the photosphere in the vicinity of a sunspot group
B)   a region in the corona that looks bright against the darkness of space but dark against the brighter photosphere
C)   a bright area in the chromosphere
D)   a bright area on the photosphereE) C) and D)
F) B) and C)

Question 5

Which part of the Sun is the LEAST dense?

Accepted Answer

A)   the core
B)   the photosphere
C)   the chromosphere
D)   the coronaE) A) and B)
F) C) and D)

Question 6

Why should you never look directly at the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)   Looking directly at the Sun can lead to baldness.
B)   Looking directly at the Sun will cause blindness.
C)   Looking directly at the Sun is bad for the complexion.
D)   Looking directly at the Sun wastes valuable time.E) All of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 7

What causes plages?

Accepted Answer

A)   compression and heating of chromospheric gas by magnetic fields
B)   blobs of convecting gas rising through the photosphere and depositing their energy in the chromosphere
C)   matter descending along loops of magnetic field in the corona
D)   sunspots, which prevent heat from reaching the chromospheric gases above them, leading to cooler plage regionsE) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 8

Which astronomer was the FIRST to detect the rotation of the Sun by watching sunspot motions?

Accepted Answer

A)   Halley, while watching his comet
B)   Copernicus
C)   Galileo
D)   PtolemyE) All of the above
F) A) and B)

Question 9

Two pairs of associated sunspots appear on the visible disk of the photosphere of the Sun,one pair in each hemisphere.If the magnetic polarity of the westernmost spot in the northern hemisphere is found to be N,what will be the magnetic polarities of the other three spots?

Accepted Answer

A)   The magnetic polarity of all the spots at this time will be N because polarity of sunspots changes only every 11 years.
B)   The magnetic polarity of the other northern spot will be N, while in the two spots in the southern hemisphere it will be S.
C)   The magnetic polarity of the other northern spot will be S, and the southern hemisphere spots will match this alignment; the westward spot will be N, while the eastward spot will be S.
D)   The magnetic polarity of the other northern spot will be S, while in the southern hemisphere the westward spot will be S and the eastward spot will be N.E) A) and C)
F) B) and C)

Question 10

A hydrogen nucleus (a proton) has a charge of +1 and a helium nucleus has a charge of +2.Why,then,does it require four protons to form helium in the core of the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)   Two of the protons are converted into neutrinos.
B)   Two of the protons become neutrons.
C)   Two of the protons are ejected back into the solar material.
D)   Two helium nuclei are formed from the four protons.E) C) and D)
F) All of the above

Question 11

How does the temperature inside the umbra of a sunspot compare with the solar photosphere outside the sunspot?

Accepted Answer

A)   The umbra is about 800 K hotter.
B)   The umbra is about 4000 K cooler
C)   The umbra is about 1500 K cooler.
D)   They are about the same temperature, the umbra being an absorbing layer over the sunspot.E) A) and D)
F) All of the above

Question 12

The major feature that distinguishes a sunspot from other regions on the Sun is:

Accepted Answer

A)   its faster rotation around the Sun's axis than neighboring regions that actually produce the spot.
B)   its very powerful magnetic field.
C)   its much higher emission of light.
D)   the coronal hole that always exists above it.E) None of the above
F) C) and D)

Question 13

When we view the Sun's disk in visible light,we see less deeply into the Sun near the limb than at the center of the disk because of the interaction of the light with atoms of the gas.What conclusion can be drawn from the observation that the Sun appears less bright near the limb than it does at the disk center?

Accepted Answer

A)   The light from the solar limb is redshifted because of solar rotation, and this phenomenon gives the appearance of cooler gas at the limb.
B)   The temperature of the gas increases with increasing height in the solar atmosphere.
C)   The light has to travel through more of the solar corona from the limb; hence, it is reduced in intensity and appears cooler.
D)   The temperature of the gas falls with increasing height in the solar atmosphere.E) B) and D)
F) A) and B)

Question 14

Which is NOT considered to be a feature of the quiet Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)   the solar wind
B)   a sunspot
C)   a spicule
D)   a granuleE) None of the above
F) All of the above

Exam 9: The Sun: Our Extraordinary Ordinary Star

Which part of the Sun is the LEAST dense?

Correct Answer
verified

Which phenomeon is NOT a characteristic of the peak period in the solar activity cycle?

Correct Answer
verified

What is a plage?

Correct Answer
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Which astronomer was the FIRST to detect the rotation of the Sun by watching sunspot motions?

Correct Answer
verified

Why is the photosphere called the visible surface of the Sun? Each of the statements below is a partial answer to this question EXCEPT ONE.Which is the exception?

Correct Answer
verified

Why should you never look directly at the Sun?

Correct Answer
verified

Two pairs of associated sunspots appear on the visible disk of the photosphere of the Sun,one pair in each hemisphere.If the magnetic polarity of the westernmost spot in the northern hemisphere is found to be N,what will be the magnetic polarities of the other three spots?

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

How does the temperature inside the umbra of a sunspot compare with the solar photosphere outside the sunspot?

Correct Answer
verified

A hydrogen nucleus (a proton) has a charge of +1 and a helium nucleus has a charge of +2.Why,then,does it require four protons to form helium in the core of the Sun?

Correct Answer
verified

What causes plages?

Correct Answer
verified

Which is NOT considered to be a feature of the quiet Sun?

Correct Answer
verified

Granulation,or the mottled appearance of the whole solar surface,is an indication of what physical process at work in the Sun?

Correct Answer
verified

The major feature that distinguishes a sunspot from other regions on the Sun is:

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 9: The Sun: Our Extraordinary Ordinary Star

Which part of the Sun is the LEAST dense?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which phenomeon is NOT a characteristic of the peak period in the solar activity cycle?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is a plage?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which astronomer was the FIRST to detect the rotation of the Sun by watching sunspot motions?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why is the photosphere called the visible surface of the Sun? Each of the statements below is a partial answer to this question EXCEPT ONE.Which is the exception?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why should you never look directly at the Sun?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Two pairs of associated sunspots appear on the visible disk of the photosphere of the Sun,one pair in each hemisphere.If the magnetic polarity of the westernmost spot in the northern hemisphere is found to be N,what will be the magnetic polarities of the other three spots?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How does the temperature inside the umbra of a sunspot compare with the solar photosphere outside the sunspot?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

A hydrogen nucleus (a proton) has a charge of +1 and a helium nucleus has a charge of +2.Why,then,does it require four protons to form helium in the core of the Sun?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What causes plages?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which is NOT considered to be a feature of the quiet Sun?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Granulation,or the mottled appearance of the whole solar surface,is an indication of what physical process at work in the Sun?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The major feature that distinguishes a sunspot from other regions on the Sun is:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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