Energy from the Sun Living With a Star. Sun Facts The Sun is rather ordinary when it comes to stars. The Sun is rather ordinary when it comes to stars.

Energy from Energy from the the SunSun

Living With a Star

Sun FactsSun Facts

The Sun is rather ordinary when it The Sun is rather ordinary when it comes to stars. comes to stars.

In fact, there are 100 billion stars in In fact, there are 100 billion stars in our galaxy that are similar to the our galaxy that are similar to the Sun. Sun.

What makes our star unique is that it What makes our star unique is that it is is oursours—responsible for light, heat, —responsible for light, heat, and life as we know it. and life as we know it.

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives Appreciate the scale of the Sun-EarthAppreciate the scale of the Sun-Earth The sun emits a range of energies that The sun emits a range of energies that

make up the make up the ElectromagneticElectromagnetic EMEM spectrum.spectrum.

The range extends beyond the visible The range extends beyond the visible spectrum in both directions, beyond the spectrum in both directions, beyond the red and beyond the violet. red and beyond the violet. RROOYYGGBBIIVV

The sun is a star that sheds a continuous The sun is a star that sheds a continuous flow of particles (solar wind) and flow of particles (solar wind) and electromagnetic radiation.electromagnetic radiation.

and there’s more folks…and there’s more folks… The Sun’s outer atmosphere is called The Sun’s outer atmosphere is called

the the coronacorona.. During solar storms, huge bursts of During solar storms, huge bursts of

electromagnetic energy are emitted by electromagnetic energy are emitted by solar flaressolar flares

Flares are sometimes accompanied by Flares are sometimes accompanied by Coronal Mass Ejections Coronal Mass Ejections (CMES)(CMES) – – eruptions of particles in the coronaeruptions of particles in the corona

EM energies travel at the speed of EM energies travel at the speed of lightlight

Some solar output is harmfulSome solar output is harmful

Scale Model DemonstrationScale Model Demonstration

What does the Earth get What does the Earth get from the Sun that is from the Sun that is essential to keep us essential to keep us

alive?alive?

What evidence do you have What evidence do you have that there is energy that there is energy

reaching you from the Sun?reaching you from the Sun?

Focusing on Visible LightFocusing on Visible Light

PhotonsPhotons

Light is made up of bundles of energy Light is made up of bundles of energy called called photonsphotons which travel through which travel through space.space.

Each color of light is made of different Each color of light is made of different photon energies.photon energies.

The energy level carried by violet light The energy level carried by violet light is about twice as much as red light.is about twice as much as red light.

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Colors in Visible Light

Electromagnetic Spectrum

Electromagnetic energies travel at the

speed of light

Particles travel at less

than the speed of light

Particles from the Sun

Slower particles

Faster Particles

Low Energy

Very High Energy

PhotospherePhotosphere

The visible portion of the Sun.The visible portion of the Sun.

Random WalkRandom Walk For the Sun, a photon is generated at For the Sun, a photon is generated at

the center and makes its way to the the center and makes its way to the surface. It may take up to a surface. It may take up to a thousand years to get to the thousand years to get to the surface, and the form of the energy surface, and the form of the energy may change from X-ray to visible may change from X-ray to visible wavelengths. When the photon wavelengths. When the photon leaves the Sun, it takes eight leaves the Sun, it takes eight minutes to get to us at the speed of minutes to get to us at the speed of light. light.

The 8-minute travel time to Earth by sunlight hides a thousand-year journey that actually began in the core.

Sir Fredrick William Sir Fredrick William HerschelHerschel In 1800, Sir Fredrick William In 1800, Sir Fredrick William

Herschel split up sunlight Herschel split up sunlight using a glass prism instead using a glass prism instead of a diffraction grating. of a diffraction grating. Herschel's experiment was Herschel's experiment was important not only important not only because it led to the because it led to the discovery of infrared light, discovery of infrared light, but also because it was the but also because it was the first time that someone first time that someone showed that there were showed that there were forms of light that we forms of light that we cannot see with our eyes. cannot see with our eyes.

Infrared Video Clips

http://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov/en/kids/sirtf1/sirtf_action.shtml

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Infrared




speed of light




Slower particles

Faster Particles

Low Energy

Very High Energy

CD ROMCD ROM

Play movie Infrared and Its UsesPlay movie Infrared and Its Uses

Ultraviolet or UVUltraviolet or UV

Right of the violet end of the Right of the violet end of the spectrum.spectrum.

Invisible to humansInvisible to humans Bees can see itBees can see it Judging by where ultraviolet energy is Judging by where ultraviolet energy is

located on this spectrum, do you think located on this spectrum, do you think it has more or less energy than visible it has more or less energy than visible light?light?

What have you heard about What have you heard about UV?UV?

Cause sunburnCause sunburn Damage our eyesDamage our eyes Sunscreen and Sunscreen and

sunglasses block itsunglasses block it

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Radio Waves Microwaves Infrared Ultraviolet




speed of light




Slower particles

Faster Particles

Low Energy

Very High Energy

CD ROMCD ROM

Looking at various wave lengths that Looking at various wave lengths that make up the electromagnetic make up the electromagnetic spectrum.spectrum.

Solar Wind ParticleSolar Wind Particle

Coronal Mass Ejections Coronal Mass Ejections CMECME

Occasionally, a part of the Sun’s Occasionally, a part of the Sun’s upper atmosphere (upper atmosphere (coronacorona) erupts ) erupts in a giant gust of solar storm in a giant gust of solar storm particles called a particles called a Coronal Mass Coronal Mass Ejection or CMEEjection or CME

Some CMEs are ejected outward from Some CMEs are ejected outward from the Sun in the direction of Earth.the Sun in the direction of Earth.

CMEs often accompany solar flares.CMEs often accompany solar flares.

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Radio Waves Microwaves Infrared Ultraviolet X-Rays Gamma Rays




speed of light




Slower particles

Faster Particles

Low Energy

Very High Energy

http://windows.ivv.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/tour_def?link=/earth/Atmosphere/layers.html&frp=/windows3.html&fr=f&sw=false&cdp=/windows3.html&cd=false&edu=high

The Culprit in the MysteryThe Culprit in the Mystery

Will CME, EM and solar wind Will CME, EM and solar wind knowledge help decide if the Sun knowledge help decide if the Sun caused the January disruptions in caused the January disruptions in Earth?Earth?

What happened to the Sun at 3:10 on What happened to the Sun at 3:10 on 01/25?01/25?

If the solar flare affected Earth in If the solar flare affected Earth in eight minutes, why did many of the eight minutes, why did many of the mysterious events happen two days mysterious events happen two days later, on 01/27?later, on 01/27?

Do CMEs travel at the speed of light?Do CMEs travel at the speed of light?

Is the Sun always sending out both EM Is the Sun always sending out both EM energy and solar wind?energy and solar wind?

How fast does EM energy travel?How fast does EM energy travel? How fast does solar wind travel?How fast does solar wind travel? What happened on the Sun on 01/25?What happened on the Sun on 01/25? What happened on the Earth around What happened on the Earth around

3:18?3:18? What happened on the Earth two days What happened on the Earth two days

later?later? What do you think caused the events What do you think caused the events

on 01/27?on 01/27?

Knowing what you know now, do you Knowing what you know now, do you think the solar flare and CME caused think the solar flare and CME caused the mysterious events in Activity 1?the mysterious events in Activity 1?

Energy from the Sun Living With a Star. Sun Facts The Sun is rather ordinary when it comes to stars. The Sun is rather ordinary when it comes to stars.

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