The

Sun
 What is the Sun?

A medium-sized, main sequence star located in a spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy.

The largest object in the solar system.

Orbited by all of the planets and other bodies in our solar system.

It contains more than 99.8% of the total mass of the solar system and is roughly 109 times the diameter of the

Earth.
The sun is also a big ball of hot, glowing gases.

The sun is a star. (The closest star to Earth)

The Sun is about 4.5 billion years old.

It gives off lots of energy.

Supplying the heat and light that sustain life on Earth.

ACTIVITY TIME!
Label the different parts of the solar system.
 WHY is the sun important to our solar system?

The sun is the gravitational epicenter of the solar system.

It keeps all of the planets, as well as other objects in space (asteroids, moons, comets) in their orbit and

prevents them from flying off in a straight line into space.

The sun also keeps every planet, moon, asteroid and comet in our solar system in orbit.
Components of the Sun
1. Core

The Inner Core of the Sun is the main

engine of this star.

Almost all the heat from the sun is

created in the inner core.

2. Radiative Zone

Just outside the Inner Core of the sun.

This zone radiates energy through the

process of photon emission and capture
by the hydrogen and helium ions.
Components of the Sun
3. Convective Zone

This zone is not dense enough to

use radiative transfer of energy,
instead, it uses thermal convection
zones, in other words, it boils.

4. Photosphere
The surface of the
Sun.
This region of the
sun is opaque (or
optically dark) to
light.
It is the region
where the light
from the sun is
emitted.
Components of the Sun

5. Chromosphere

A small region that lies above the

photosphere.

6. Corona

The highly rarefied

region above the
chromosphere, extends
millions of kilometers into
space but is visible only
during a total solar
eclipse.
Components of the Sun
7. Sunspot
Are dark spots on the sun.
They only appear dark due to their
temperature being about 1000 degrees
Kelvin lower than the surrounding
surface.
They normally come in groups and can
be seen to have a bipolar magnetic field
in that area.

8. Granules

The grainy appearance of the solar

photosphere is produced by the tops of
these convective cells and is
called granulation.
The rising part of the granules is located in
the center where the plasma is hotter. The
outer edge of the granules is darker due to
the cooler descending plasma.
Components of the Sun

9. Prominence

(also known as a filament when viewed against the

solar disk) is a large, bright feature extending
outward from the Sun's surface.
are anchored to the Sun's surface in the
photosphere, and extend outwards into the Sun's hot
outer atmosphere, called the corona.
A prominence forms over timescales of about a day,
and stable prominences may persist in the corona for
several months, looping hundreds of thousands of
miles into space.
ACTIVITY TIME!
Label the different parts of the sun according to its function.
 Benefits of the Sun on the Earth

1. Human Beings

a) Sunlight may help prevent cancer.

b) Sunlight can improve sleep quality.
c) Sunlight contributes to bone health in older
adults.

2. Plants and animals

a) Photosynthesis and Growth

Sunlight directly affects the survival of plants and animals.
They depends on acquiring the right amount of sunlight for energy and
nourishment.
3. Time

a) Shadows
The Sun creates shadows.
If there is sunshine, there will be shadows.
Without the Sun, we would not have shadows.
If the Sun is shining behind us, we will see our shadows in front of us.
A shadow happens when an object (or a person) gets between the Sun and
the surface of the Earth.
Direction:
When the Sun is high in the sky (late spring, summer, early fall, noontime) the shadows are
short.
When the Sun is at an intermediate height in the sky (spring, fall, early or late in the day) the
shadows are of intermediate length.
When the Sun is low in the sky (late fall, winter, early spring, or very early or very late in the
day) the shadows are the longest.
The Sun rises in the east. This means that if you are facing north, the Sun will be on your right
and your shadow will be on your left, sort of in the direction of 9 AM.
The Sun crosses the sky through the south and toward the west. As you face north, your
shadow will progress through the 10 and 11 AM hours, be pointing northerly at Noon and move
through the 1 and 2 PM hours during the afternoon.
The Sun is in the west in the afternoon. If you are facing North, your shadow will be on your
right side, more or less in the 3 PM position.
4. Earth

a. the sun gives the earth warmth , heat and light.

ACTIVITY TIME!
1. Draw a picture that you think describes the importance of

the sun to Earth.

2. At the bottom of the picture, write one sentence why you

think the sun is important to us.