Big Bang Theory
What evidence about the cosmic microwave background radiation supports the Big Bang theory?
it would have released a huge amount of energy in all directions and would be detected as cosmic microwave background radiation
Which layer of the Sun is responsible for the visible light that reaches Earth?
Photosphere
What is the first stage in the life cycle of a star?
Nebula
What is the relationship between the number of sunspots and magnetic activity in the Sun?
Direct relationship
Identify the nuclear process that produces energy in stars.
Nuclear fusion
Which type of evidence collected by telescopes best supports the Big Bang theory?
cosmic microwave background radiation
Which layer of the Sun produces energy through nuclear fusion?
Core
How does energy produced in the Sun's core eventually reach Earth?
It moves as radiation through space after passing through the Sun's layers
When do years with the greatest number of sunspots occur?
Every ~11 years
Which type of electromagnetic radiation has the shortest wavelength?
Gamma rays
How long ago do astronomers believe the Big Bang occurred?
13.8 billion years ago
In which layer does hot material rise and create sunspots?
Convection zone
As the Sun ages, what will happen to its composition?
It will contain more helium and less hydrogen.
What are sunspots, and why do they appear darker than the surrounding areas on the Sun?
Sunspots are cooler regions on the Sun's surface that appear darker due to their lower temperature compared to the surrounding areas.
How does the Sun appear brighter than the star Rigel?
Because it's closer than Rigel
What are the 3 types of evidence for the Big Bang theory?
Cosmic background radiation, Redshift in galaxies, Stellar Spectra (what stars are made of)
What is the layer called that allows energy to move from the core to the surface?
Radiative Zone
What property of a star primarily determines whether it will become a giant star or a supergiant star during its life cycle?
Mass. More massive stars have shorter life cycles and evolve into supergiants
What effect do sunspots have on Earth?
Auroras, Disrupt satellites & communication, Power grid issues
What happens to the elements formed inside a star after it dies?
They can become part of new stars or planets
What is redshift, and how does it provide evidence for the expansion of the universe as proposed in the Big Bang theory?
the phenomenon where light from distant galaxies shifts toward the red end of the spectrum, indicating that those galaxies are moving away from us. This observation supports the idea that the universe is expanding, as initially proposed by the Big Bang theory.
How does the temperature change from the core to the photosphere of the Sun?
It decreases greatly
Compare the luminosity and surface temperature of red main sequence stars to blue supergiants.
Blue supergiants are more luminous and have a higher surface temperature
Why do sunspots appear darker than the rest of the Sun, and how can they affect us here on Earth
Because they are cooler regions on the sun.
Describe the relationship between temperature and luminosity in main sequence stars
As temperature increases, luminosity increases