Nuclear Fusion and Structure of the Sun

These flashcards cover important concepts about the Sun's structure, nuclear fusion, and solar activity, providing a comprehensive review for exam preparation.

Gravitational Potential Energy

Energy possessed by an object due to its position in a gravitational field, particularly when spread out versus contracted.

Conservation of Energy

The principle stating that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed or transferred.

Newton’s Law of Gravity

The law stating that every mass attracts every other mass with a force proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Solar Activity

Changes in solar phenomena such as sunspots, solar flares, and prominences caused primarily by magnetic fields.

Sunspots

Cooler regions on the Sun's surface with strong magnetic fields, typically observed as dark spots.

Proton–Proton Chain

The process by which hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium in the Sun, releasing energy.

Hydrostatic Equilibrium

A state where gravitational forces pulling in balance with pressure forces pushing out within the Sun.

Solar Thermostat

A mechanism regulating the Sun’s core temperature by balancing fusion rates through gravitational and thermal energy interactions.

Nuclear Fusion

The process where small nuclei combine to form a larger nucleus, releasing energy, such as the fusion of hydrogen into helium in the Sun.

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)

Large expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun's corona, which can affect Earth’s magnetic environment.