Foldable Rubric: 50/50 points

Outer Flaps: 3 Points Each

·  Each flap should have at least three facts

Core:

·  Inner most layer

·  Nuclear fusion occurs here

·  100 times denser than water

·  All energy comes from here

·  15 million degree Celsius or 28 million degrees Fahrenheit

Radiation Zone:

·  Very dense

·  Second layer of the Sun

·  Bounces around and take 100,000 years to travel through

·  4.5 million degrees Fahrenheit

Convection Zone:

·  Energy turns to heat

·  Hot at the bottom, cooler at the top creating convection currents

·  Third layer of the Sun

·  Less dense

·  2 million degrees Fahrenheit

Photosphere:

·  4th layer, 1st layer in the atmosphere

·  This is the layer we see

·  5,800 degrees Celsius or 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit

·  Not completely solid

Chromosphere:

·  2,000 Km thick

·  5th layer/ 2nd layer of the atmosphere

·  Not solid

·  20,000 degrees Celsius

·  Red and can be seen during a solar eclipse

Corona:

·  1,000,000 to 2,000,000 degrees Celsius

·  Not dense (1 Billion times less than water)

·  Hottest layer of the Sun’s atmosphere

·  Goes from 10,000km to 25,000km away from the Sun’s surface

Diagram of the Sun: 9 Points- 1 Point Each

·  Use the following pictures to make sure all things are labeled

o  Remember that a flare should go straight out and a prominence should loop

·  1 Point for each label and/or drawing

o  Core

o  Radiation Zone

o  Convection Zone

o  Photosphere

o  Chromosphere

o  Corona

o  Sunspot

o  Solar Flare

o  Prominence

Three Features: 3 Points Each

Sunspot:

·  Cool spots on the Sun’s surface

·  Appear darker then surrounding areas

·  Come in 11 year cycles

·  Due to convection currents underneath and can be anywhere on the surface

Solar Flare:

·  Explosive release of energy at the Sun’s surface

·  Goes directly outward from Sun

·  Creates Solar wind

·  Releases tons of radiation

Prominence:

·  Explosive release of energy at the Sun’s surface

·  Gets pulled back into the Sun and creates a loop of gas

·  Huge (Even Earth could fit through the loops)

Critical Thinking Questions: 14 Points- Values next to each below

  1. What would happen to temperature on Mercury during the day if a sunspot was directly in line with its surface? (5 Points)

·  Students will need to show that they understand that the temperature at this place in the Sun is reduced. Therefore, Mercury would see a decrease in average temperature because it us receiving less heat and rays from the Sun from that particular place

·  You may see higher level thinking students discuss the fact that Mercury has no atmosphere so this would create a dramatic difference in the temperature because it is directly affected by the sun due to its lack of atmospheric protection

  1. How would a photon's travel (physical path) differ as it traveled through the different layers of the Sun? (5 Points)

·  Students should discuss the nuclear fusion from the Core, how dense the core is and how molecules may get stuck there due to this, the density of the radiation zone and how it takes 100,000 years sometimes for atoms to be released, the convection and circular motion in the convection zone and then finally being released into the atmosphere.

·  You may see higher level thinking students then discuss the temperature changes in the atmosphere and/or if the molecule is then part one of the features of the Sun how that would effect it.

  1. What is the difference between a solar flare and a prominence? Give a written explanation AND draw a diagram of each. (4 Points)

·  Students should discuss how one goes directly out (Solar flare) and one is pulled back into the Sun to create a huge loop of gas (Prominence).

·  See above for pictures of each.

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