Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Chapter 10 Notes


Weight of upper layers compresses lower layers.
Gravitational equilibrium
            Gravity pulling in balances pressure pushing out.
Energy balance
            Thermal energy released by fusion in core balances radioactive energy lost from surface.
Gravitational contraction
            Provided energy that heated the core as the sun was forming.
            Contraction stopped when fusion started replacing the energy radiated into space.
Radius: 6.9 x 10^8. 109 times earth
Mass: 2 x 10^30kg. 300,000 earths
Luminosity: 3.8 x 10^26 watts
Solar wind
            A flow of charged particles from the surface of the suns.
Corona
            Outermost layer of solar atmosphere.
Chromosphere
            Middle layer of solar atmosphere.
Photosphere
            Visible surface of the sun.
Convection zone
            Energy transported upward by rising hot gas.
Core
            Energy generated by nuclear fusion
Fission
            Big nucleus splits into smalls pieces
Fusion
            Two pieces stick together
The sun releases energy by fusing four hydrogen nuclei into one helium nucleus.

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