Characteristics of the Sun
Environmental Science
Name: ______________________________________ Period: ____ Date: ________
Essential Question: How do I describe a star?
Clarifying Questions:
1. How big is the Sun’s mass compared to the solar system?
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2. How can the Sun’s gravity so strong that it can hold all the planets and comets in orbit?
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3. The Sun has _____________ and an _______________. The sun is a ball of ________ gas, not burning.
4. The Sun is made up of: ¾ _________________( fuel of the Sun) and ¼ is ____________________
5. Where does the Sun get its energy?
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6. What is nuclear fusion? (use the words hydrogen, helium, fuse or join )
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7. The temperature in the Sun’s center or core is ____________________________________________.
8. How is the Sun’s energy released?
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9. How do we benefit from the energy of the Sun? ( Use the words photosynthesis and food) Think!
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10. What are the layers of the Sun’s atmosphere?
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11. Describe the photosphere.
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12. The layer of Sun’s atmosphere that we see during the beginning and end of a solar eclipse is the
_________________________.The color of this is ____________________ since chromo means
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13. What is solar wind and what does it produce in the North and South Poles?
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14. What are sunspots?
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15. How do solar flares form?
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16. How are we protected from the radiation of the Sun? Think!
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17. The number of sunspots vary every 10 to 11 years. Why are scientists concerned about the sunspot
cycles? Think!
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By: R.E. Angat