Chapter 14 Reading Quiz Clickers
The Cosmic Perspective
Seventh Edition
Our Star
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
14.1 A Closer Look at the Sun
• 
• 
Why does the Sun shine?
What is the Sun's structure?
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
How long could the Sun shine if its energy
came from gravitational contraction?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
10,000 years
250,000 years
1 million years
25 million years
100 million years
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
How long could the Sun shine if its energy
came from gravitational contraction?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
10,000 years
250,000 years
1 million years
25 million years
100 million years
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
How long will the Sun shine powered by
nuclear fusion?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
5 billion years
10 billion years
15 billion years
50 billion years
100 billion years
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
How long will the Sun shine powered by
nuclear fusion?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
5 billion years
10 billion years
15 billion years
50 billion years
100 billion years
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
What balances the inward push of gravity
inside the Sun?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
the rigidity of the solid central core
electron degeneracy pressure
thermal pressure of the gas
neutron degeneracy pressure
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
What balances the inward push of gravity
inside the Sun?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
the rigidity of the solid central core
electron degeneracy pressure
thermal pressure of the gas
neutron degeneracy pressure
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
Which of the following layers of the Sun is
farthest from the core?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
convection zone
photosphere
chromosphere
corona
radiation zone
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
Which of the following layers of the Sun is
farthest from the core?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
convection zone
photosphere
chromosphere
corona
radiation zone
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
Which of the following parts of the Sun has the
lowest temperature?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
core
photosphere
chromosphere
corona
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
Which of the following parts of the Sun has the
lowest temperature?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
core
photosphere
chromosphere
corona
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
14.2 Nuclear Fusion in the Sun
• 
• 
• 
How does nuclear fusion occur in the Sun?
How does the energy from fusion get out of the
Sun?
How do we know what is happening inside the
Sun?
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
What is the net fusion reaction that produces
energy in the core of the Sun?
a)  4 hydrogen nuclei form 1 helium nucleus plus energy.
b)  2 hydrogen nuclei form 1 helium nucleus plus energy.
c)  6 hydrogen nuclei form 1 helium nucleus, 1 carbon
nucleus plus energy.
d)  3 hydrogen nuclei form 1 helium nucleus plus energy.
e)  4 hydrogen nuclei form 1 helium nucleus, 1 carbon
nucleus, plus energy.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
What is the net fusion reaction that produces
energy in the core of the Sun?
a)  4 hydrogen nuclei form 1 helium nucleus plus
energy.
b)  2 hydrogen nuclei form 1 helium nucleus plus energy.
c)  6 hydrogen nuclei form 1 helium nucleus, 1 carbon
nucleus plus energy.
d)  3 hydrogen nuclei form 1 helium nucleus plus energy.
e)  4 hydrogen nuclei form 1 helium nucleus, 1 carbon
nucleus, plus energy.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
How do the nuclear reactions in the Sun's core
produce energy?
a)  The mass of the product of the reaction is greater than the
mass of the hydrogen atoms that enter the reaction.
b)  The mass of the product of the reaction is less than the mass
of the hydrogen atoms that enter the reaction.
c)  The chemical potential energy of the product of the reaction
is greater than the chemical potential energy of the hydrogen
atoms that enter the reaction.
d)  The chemical potential energy of the product of the reaction
is less than the chemical potential energy of the hydrogen
atoms that enter the reaction.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
How do the nuclear reactions in the Sun's core
produce energy?
a)  The mass of the product of the reaction is greater than the
mass of the hydrogen atoms that enter the reaction.
b)  The mass of the product of the reaction is less than the
mass of the hydrogen atoms that enter the reaction.
c)  The chemical potential energy of the product of the reaction
is greater than the chemical potential energy of the hydrogen
atoms that enter the reaction.
d)  The chemical potential energy of the product of the reaction
is less than the chemical potential energy of the hydrogen
atoms that enter the reaction.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
What would happen if the temperature of the
Sun's core increased suddenly?
a)  It would continue to increase in a runaway fusion
reaction.
b)  It would reach equilibrium at its new higher temperature
with a higher rate of fusion.
c)  The rate of fusion would increase causing the core to
expand and cool back to its original temperature.
d)  The Sun would undergo continuing oscillations in
temperature and fusion reactions.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
What would happen if the temperature of the
Sun's core increased suddenly?
a)  It would continue to increase in a runaway fusion
reaction.
b)  It would reach equilibrium at its new higher temperature
with a higher rate of fusion.
c)  The rate of fusion would increase causing the core
to expand and cool back to its original temperature.
d)  The Sun would undergo continuing oscillations in
temperature and fusion reactions.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
How has the Sun's brightness changed since
the formation of the solar system?
a)  It has gotten brighter due to an increase in the core density
from converting hydrogen into helium.
b)  It has gotten brighter due to additional nuclear reactions
involving the helium produced by fusion of hydrogen.
c)  It has gotten dimmer due to the gradual depletion of
hydrogen from fusion into helium.
d)  It has gotten dimmer due to an increase in the core density
from converting hydrogen into helium.
e)  It has gotten dimmer due to a decrease in the overall size of
the Sun.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
How has the Sun's brightness changed since
the formation of the solar system?
a)  It has gotten brighter due to an increase in the core
density from converting hydrogen into helium.
b)  It has gotten brighter due to additional nuclear reactions
involving the helium produced by fusion of hydrogen.
c)  It has gotten dimmer due to the gradual depletion of
hydrogen from fusion into helium.
d)  It has gotten dimmer due to an increase in the core density
from converting hydrogen into helium.
e)  It has gotten dimmer due to a decrease in the overall size of
the Sun.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
How long does it take for energy produced in
the Sun's core to reach the photosphere?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
a few seconds
a few hours
a few years
a few hundred years
a few hundred thousand years
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
How long does it take for energy produced in
the Sun's core to reach the photosphere?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
a few seconds
a few hours
a few years
a few hundred years
a few hundred thousand years
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
Which of the following is not an input into
mathematical models used to model the Sun?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
the temperature of the core
the composition of the Sun
the mass of the Sun
all of the above (none are inputs)
none of the above (all are inputs)
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
Which of the following is not an input into
mathematical models used to model the Sun?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
the temperature of the core
the composition of the Sun
the mass of the Sun
all of the above (none are inputs)
none of the above (all are inputs)
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
How can we observe nuclear fusion in the
Sun's core?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
We can't.
We can observe neutrinos produced in the core.
We can observe positrons produced in the core.
We can observe high energy gamma rays
produced in the core.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
How can we observe nuclear fusion in the
Sun's core?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
We can't.
We can observe neutrinos produced in the core.
We can observe positrons produced in the core.
We can observe high energy gamma rays
produced in the core.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
14.3 The Sun-Earth Connection
• 
• 
• 
What causes solar activity?
How does solar activity affect humans?
How does solar activity vary with time
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
Why are sunspots cooler than the rest of the
photosphere?
a)  They are where cooler gas sinks as part of the convection
cells bringing heat to the photosphere.
b)  They are areas of slightly different composition that absorbs
radiative energy from below less efficiently than the rest of
the photosphere.
c)  They are areas of magnetic fields that inhibit convective
transport of heat from below.
d)  They are regions of denser gas.
e)  They are at higher altitudes, where temperatures are slightly
lower, than the surrounding photosphere.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
Why are sunspots cooler than the rest of the
photosphere?
a)  They are where cooler gas sinks as part of the convection
cells bringing heat to the photosphere.
b)  They are areas of slightly different composition that absorbs
radiative energy from below less efficiently than the rest of
the photosphere.
c)  They are areas of magnetic fields that inhibit convective
transport of heat from below.
d)  They are regions of denser gas.
e)  They are at higher altitudes, where temperatures are slightly
lower, than the surrounding photosphere.
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
What produces solar flares?
a)  energy released by the sudden reorganization of
twisted magnetic field lines
b)  energetic eruptions from convective hot spots
beneath the photosphere
c)  energy released when sunspots merge
d)  a localized burst of nuclear fusion in the outer
convective zone
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
What produces solar flares?
a)  energy released by the sudden reorganization
of twisted magnetic field lines
b)  energetic eruptions from convective hot spots
beneath the photosphere
c)  energy released when sunspots merge
d)  a localized burst of nuclear fusion in the outer
convective zone
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
What heats the solar corona?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
radiation from the photosphere
convection in the chromosphere
gamma rays from the solar core
neutrinos from the solar core
the magnetic field rooted in the photosphere
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
What heats the solar corona?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
radiation from the photosphere
convection in the chromosphere
gamma rays from the solar core
neutrinos from the solar core
the magnetic field rooted in the photosphere
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
What part of the Sun is the source of the solar
wind?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
the core
the photosphere
the chromosphere
the corona
the radiative zone
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
What part of the Sun is the source of the solar
wind?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
the core
the photosphere
the chromosphere
the corona
the radiative zone
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
Which of the following is not an effect of solar
storms on Earth?
a)  increased auroral activity
b)  increased atmospheric drag on Earth-orbiting
satellites
c)  increased sea-level temperatures near the equator
d)  disrupted radio communications with satellites
e)  disruption to electrical power grids
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
Which of the following is not an effect of solar
storms on Earth?
a)  increased auroral activity
b)  increased atmospheric drag on Earth-orbiting
satellites
c)  increased sea-level temperatures near the
equator
d)  disrupted radio communications with satellites
e)  disruption to electrical power grids
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
What is the average length of time between
consecutive solar maximums?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
27 days
8 months
2.5 years
11 years
750 years
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
What is the average length of time between
consecutive solar maximums?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
27 days
8 months
2.5 years
11 years
750 years
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
How much does the total luminosity of the Sun
vary between the solar minimum and solar
maximum?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
less than 0.1%
about 1%
about 3%
about 10 %
more than 30%
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14
How much does the total luminosity of the Sun
vary between the solar minimum and solar
maximum?
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
e) 
less than 0.1%
about 1%
about 3%
about 10 %
more than 30%
© 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.