AST101H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Chromosphere, Plutonium, Caffeine

• School: UTSG
• Department: Astronomy & Astrophysics
• Course: AST101H1
• Professor: Eryan Apsnler, Michael Reid

Document Summary

Only special characteristic of the sun is its proximity to earth. Sun"s diameter is 1392000 km (109 x earth"s diameter) Sun"s mass is 1. 989x10^30 kg (300000 x earth"s mass) 0. 6% heavier elements (e. g. gold, silver, etc. ) In regards to the solar system"s collective mass, the sun makes up 99. 86% of it. In comparison, jupiter is a mere 0. 095% of the solar system"s collective mass. Sun"s rotation rate is 25 earth days (@ equator) to 30 earth days (@ poles) Sun"s average temperature is 5500 degrees celsius. Sun"s core is at 15 million degrees celsius. Sun"s core extends out to 25% of the sun"s radius, makes up 50% of the sun"s mass and facilitates nuclear reactions that sustain life. Sun"s radiative zone ranges from 25%-70% of the sun"s radius, makes up 49% of the sun"s mass, has a temperature of a few million degrees celsius and facilitates the dispersion of the core"s light and heat.