The Sun Notes

ESS Sun Notes

1. The Sun

2. Life Span of the Sun Based on its initial mass; will become a red giant and engulf Earth; total life span would be about 10 billion years

3. How does the sun produce energy? The nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium in the core; releases energy as electromagnetic radiation

4. Main Source of Energy on Earth: Electromagnetic radiation travels through space (a vacuum) to Earth Some of that radiation is absorbed or reflected by Earth’s atmosphere About half is absorbed by Earth’s surface Some is reflected by Earth’s surface

5. What are sunspots? Cooler areas of high magnetic activity on the Sun’s surface; their abundance peaks about every 11 years

6. Solar Flares: Eruption of energy/radiation from release of magnetic energy associated with sunspots

7. Effects of Solar Flares: Can effect our upper atmosphere (create auroras) or potentially disable our communications satellites

8. What protects us from solar storms/wind? Earth’s magnetic field provides a barrier to most of the sun’s disturbances