Term
| Basic Importance of the Sun |
|
Definition
Powers circulation in the atmosphere and oceans
Provides the energy for photosynthesis |
|
|
Term
| Thermonuclear Fusion in The Sun |
|
Definition
Requires extremely high temperatures (15 x 106 K) and pressures
Gravitational forces in the sun causes this to occur |
|
|
Term
| The hydrogen bomb involves thermonuclear fusion: |
|
Definition
| –Very high temperatures provided by explosion of a companion uranium bomb |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| electrically neutral particle with negligible mass |
|
|
Term
| Thermonuclear Fusion In The Sun |
|
Definition
Two 1H atoms fuse to form 2H
Fusion releases neutrinos and positrons |
|
|
Term
| Thermonuclear Fusion In The Sun(cont) |
|
Definition
| 2H fuses with 1H to form 3He, releasing neutrinos |
|
|
Term
| Thermonuclear Fusion In The Sun(cont2) |
|
Definition
Two 3He fuse to form 4He, releasing protons and neutrino
Ejected protons available for further fusion reactions |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Fusion (Energy from the Sun) |
|
Definition
–Hydrogen combines to form Helium
–4 H (1p,1e) = 1 He (2p2n, 2e) + Energy
–4 x 1.01* → 4.00 + Energy
–Because 4.04 >>> 4.00, left-over mass is converted to energy |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| E = mC2 where m = mass and C = speed of light |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| seen in micrometers approx .50ish |
|
|
Term
| Visible light from longest to shortest wave |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| energy discharges from atomic nuclei |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| hard x rays from medical applications (also soft x rays) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| The Sun’s Radiation and the Electromagnetic Spectrum |
|
Definition
| A hot object emits radiation over a wide range of wavelengths |
|
|
Term
| The intensity of radiation, however, is |
|
Definition
| not the same at all wavelengths |
|
|
Term
| The intensity of radiation, however, is not the same at all wavelengths: |
|
Definition
| –Radiation is greater at some wavelengths than others |
|
|
Term
| The wavelength of greatest intensity is a function of the object’s temperature and can be calculated as follows: |
|
Definition
Wien’s law lmax = 3000000 / T (nm)
T = Temperature in Kelvin |
|
|
Term
| Sun’s intensity with a surface temperature of |
|
Definition
| 6000 K is greatest within visible portion of spectrum |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| radiation shifts to shorter wavelengths as body becomes hotter |
|
|
Term
| A hotter Sun at 6,000 K radiates |
|
Definition
| shorter wavelengths with greatest intensities within the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum |
|
|
Term
| Cooler Earth at 288 K emits |
|
Definition
| longer wavelengths with greatest intensities within the infrared |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Hydrogen H 92.1%
Helium He 7.8% |
|
|
Term
| Discovery of the Sun’s Composition |
|
Definition
Joseph Von Fraunhofer in 1814 used a prism to refract and disperse light from the Sun:
–Found that the resulting spectrum contained dark lines
Elements in the Sun absorb certain wavelengths of the emitted energy, preventing these wavelengths from reaching Earth:
–These absorbed wavelengths appear as dark lines in the spectrum |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| From prism that refracted and dispersed light from the Sun |
|
|
Term
| Only photons of certain wavelengths are absorbed by |
|
Definition
| atom; Other wavelengths pass through unimpeded |
|
|
Term
| Absorbed wavelengths show up as |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
similarly discovered that hot hydrogen gas emitted corresponding bright lines
These bright lines occurred at the same wavelengths as the dark lines of Fraunhofer’s spectrum:
–The wavelengths absorbed by cooler hydrogen gas are thus emitted by hot hydrogen gas |
|
|
Term
| The emitted energy shows up as |
|
Definition
| bright lines in the spectra and occur at the same wavelengths as the initial absorption lines |
|
|
Term
| The wavelengths at which radiation is absorbed or emitted depends on the |
|
Definition
| composition of the material being observed |
|
|
Term
| Different elements exhibit different |
|
Definition
| absorption and emission lines |
|
|
Term
| spectrometers linked to telescopes |
|
Definition
| Hence the composition of stars, nebular gases, and other materials in space can be determined |
|
|
Term
| Sun Cross-Section (in order, outer to inner) |
|
Definition
| photosphere, convective, radiation, core |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Visible part of Sun ~5700oC with granular appearance |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Gases cool at different rates, causing convection |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Energy produced in core travels towards surface mostly by radiation |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Site of thermonuclear reactions |
|
|
Term
| separates photosphere from overlying Corona |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| eruptions of hot gases trapped in magnetic field of sunspots |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| dark regions of cold, depressed, and anomalously magnetic areas on the Sun’s surface. Intense magnetic fields hurl charged particles into space. |
|
|
Term
| Sun spot activity occurs in |
|
Definition
~11 year cycles:
–Over 11 year period, the number of sunspots declines and then increases to a peak |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Outer Envelope That Appears As a Solar Crown During a Total Eclipse |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| major magnetic storm systems on the Sun’s surface that release bursts of highly charged particles |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Motion of very hot hydrogen ions in the sun produces a magnetic field |
|
|
Term
| These magnetic distortions cause ejection of |
|
Definition
| ionized gases that blow away from the sun at speeds of 300 to 800 km / sec |
|
|
Term
| Differential rotation of the sun distorts the magnetic field: |
|
Definition
| Sun rotates faster at equator than at poles |
|
|
Term
| Solar wind (high speed ions) that reaches earth is affected by |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Charged particles collect to form |
|
Definition
| Van Allen Belts where they align with earth’s magnetic field |
|
|
Term
| solar wind: Electrical currents called aurora result |
|
Definition
| (e.g. northern lights seen from earth) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Charge particles collect and align within Van Allen belts, producing electric currents
Charged particles move down the Earth’s magnetic lines of force at the north and south magnetic poles
Particles interact with atmosphere to produce fingers of light called aurora
Oxygen and nitrogen atoms in atmosphere have electrons excited and light is emitted: |
|
|
Term
| Oxygen and nitrogen atoms in atmosphere have electrons excited and light is emitted: |
|
Definition
Oxygen: green emission
–Nitrogen: red/purple emission |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| is the top of Earth’s atmosphere ~480 km above the surface |
|
|
Term
| The thermopause is the top of Earth’s atmosphere ~480 km above the surface: |
|
Definition
Outer boundary of Earth’s energy system
–Receives only one two-billionth of the Sun’s total energy output
–Nevertheless, this tiny fraction is still an enormous amount of energy flowing into Earth’s systems |
|
|
Term
| Radiation intensity from the Sun, at 6000 K, |
|
Definition
| is greatest within the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum |
|
|
Term
| Radiation intensity from a cooler Earth, at 288 K, |
|
Definition
| is greatest within the infrared portion of the spectrum |
|
|
Term
| input of sun's waves to earth: |
|
Definition
UV
Visible
shortwave infrared |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
longwave radiation
earth to spaaaaace |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
is the radiation arriving at Earth’s atmosphere and surface
Solar constant (1372 W/m2) is the average insolation received at the thermopause at Earth’s average distance from the Sun |
|
|
Term
| This insolation is reduced by half via reflection, scattering and absorption as it passes through the atmosphere |
|
Definition
| Earth’s surface only receives a small fraction of the solar energy entering the upper atmosphere |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Earth receives incoming, shorter-wavelength (mostly visible) radiation from the Sun
Earth emits some of this incoming energy back into space at longer wavelength (infrared) radiation |
|
|
Term
| Global net radiation is the balance between |
|
Definition
| incoming shortwave and outgoing longwave radiation: |
|
|
Term
| Global net radiation is the balance between incoming shortwave and outgoing longwave radiation |
|
Definition
| –Energy inputs minus energy outputs |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Synchronous With It’s Orbit Around The Earth |
|
|
Term
| The moon makes one complete rotation on its axis in about the same time that it takes to |
|
Definition
| orbit the Earth (~27 days) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the moon always keeps the same face turned towards Earth. |
|
|
Term
| The Latitude At Which The Sun Shines Directly Overhead |
|
Definition
| Changes Throughout The Year |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Tilt of the Earth relative to the Sun causes circle of illumination to exclude one of the polar regions |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Winter Solstice December 21-22: |
|
Definition
| Circle of illumination excludes North Pole region |
|
|
Term
| Summer Solstice June 20-21 |
|
Definition
| Circle of illumination excludes South Pole region |
|
|
Term
| Tropic of Cancer is the most |
|
Definition
| northerly latitude at which the Sun can appear directly overhead at noon. This event occurs at the June solstice |
|
|
Term
| Areas south of Antarctic Circle experience |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Areas north of Arctic Circle experience |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| circle of illumination passes through both poles |
|
|
Term
| During the equinox, the circle of illumination passes through both poles: |
|
Definition
| –All locations on Earth experience a 12-hour day and 12-hour night |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Equinox occurs twice a year: |
|
Definition
Vernal Equinox March 20-21
–Autumnal Equinox September 22-23 |
|
|
Term
| Seasonal Observations at 40o N Latitude |
|
Definition
| The Sun’s altitude varies with the season |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| revolution,rotation,tilt,axial parallelism, sphericity |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| orbit around the sun; requires 365.24 days to complete at 107, 280 kmph (66,660 mph) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| earth turning on its axis; takes approx 24 hours to complete |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| axis is aligned at about 23.5 degrees angle from a perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic (the plane of earth's orbit) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| remains in a fixed alignment, with polaris directly overhead at the north pole throughout the year |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| appears as an oblate spheroid to the sun's parallel rays; the geoid |
|
|
Term
| What two processes were responsible for accumulation of free oxygen (O2) in Earth's early atmosphere beginning around 3.6 billion years ago? |
|
Definition
| Photosynthetic cyanobacteria and photochemical dissociation of water vapor |
|
|
Term
| Earth's modern atmosphere consists of 78% _________ and 21% __________ along with other gases in much smaller amounts. |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| An ozone layer within Earth's stratosphere was already well-developed by 3.5 billion years ago. |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Which of the following statements regarding Earth's atmospheric layers is TRUE? |
|
Definition
| Temperature decreases with height within both the troposphere and mesosphere |
|
|
Term
| The ozone layer within the stratosphere is useful in that it protects us from incoming UV radiation from the Sun. |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Which of the following images will result in the trapping of ground level ozone? Note that for the two graphs on the left, the horizontal axis shows decreasing temperature towards the left while the vertical axis shows increasing altitude towards the top. |
|
Definition
| B, with light at a boundary over a factory and the graph is skewed |
|
|
Term
| The World Health Organization recently established a link between poor health and __________ |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What is the following figure telling us? (different lines squiggling but roughly the same average) |
|
Definition
| Yearly variation in the height of the ozone column over Antarctica |
|
|
Term
| Which of the following is NOT considered Anthropogenic pollution? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Which of the following are considered aerosols? |
|
Definition
| Small particles of dust, soot, and pollution suspended in the air |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
