AST201H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Bright Spot, Chromosphere, Electric Light

• School: UTSG
• Department: Astronomy & Astrophysics
• Course: AST201H1
• Professor: Marija Stankovic

Document Summary

Pressure from heat generation pushes outward, and gravity pulls inward. Just as, slight variation, that could happen inside the core of the sun. Help keep these things in balance, allow for constant production during sun"s lifetime. A slight drop in core temperature, leads to a large decrease in the fusion rate, that lowers the core pressure, causing the core to contract and heat up, thereby restoring the fusion rate to normal. Decrease the fusion rate, less energy, we have that equilibrium (gravitational power going in, disturbing the balance, thus shrinks). Temperature goes up, velocity goes up, more reactions happening. If the sun"s core got a little hotter, the fusion rate would increase until the core expanded (because there is too much heat), then it would slow down. Convection beneath the sun"s surface: hot gas rises while the cooler gas descends. Bright spot is where the hot gas is rising and darker when the cooler air goes down.