Astronomy - Chapter 16: The Powerhouse

Vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes from Astronomy Chapter 16.

Fusion

The process where light atomic nuclei join together to form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy.

Fission

The process where heavy, complex nuclei break up into lighter ones, producing energy.

Proton-Proton Chain

The process of fusing hydrogen into helium in the Sun, requiring high temperatures to overcome electrical repulsion.

Deuterium

A hydrogen nucleus containing one proton and one neutron.

Positron

An anti-electron produced during the proton-proton chain.

Neutrino

An elusive particle produced during the proton-proton chain.

Hydrostatic Equilibrium

The state in a star where the inward force of gravity is balanced by the outward force of gas pressure.

Convection

The process where rising currents carry heat from a star's interior to its surface, while cooler material sinks.

Photons

Particles of light that interact with atoms in the solar interior, transferring energy.

Helioseismology

The study of oscillations on the Sun's surface to infer the deep solar interior.

Sunspot

Regions on the Sun's surface with intense magnetic fields that inhibit the upward flow of hot material.

ITER

An international project designed to produce 500 megawatts of energy through nuclear fusion.

Kelvin-Helmholtz Mechanism

A hypothesis suggesting the Sun's energy is produced by its gravitational contraction.

Wolfgang Pauli

The physicist who conceived of the neutrino particle.

Gamma-ray Radiation

Form of produced energy during the proton-proton chain.

Davis Experiment

Experiment at the bottom of an abandoned gold mine that revealed problems with the understanding of neutrinos.

Albert Einstein

Physicist, portrait taken in 1912.

Raymond Davis

Received the Nobel Prize in physics in 2002.

Sudbury Neutrino Detector

12-meter sphere that lies more than 2 kilometers underground and holds 1000 metric tons of heavy water.

Photosphere

The visible surface of the Sun.