Science Quiz: On the Sun

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Science Quiz On the Sun

The setting sun. File

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1 / 5 | Sunspots are relatively cooler patches on the Sun’s surface that appear and disappear in cycles lasting roughly 11 years. Every sunspot consists of an outer region called the penumbra and inner, darker region called the umbra. What is the approximate temperature of the umbra?

• 1,200 – 2,500 degrees C
• 2,700-4,200 degrees C
• 4,200-6,000 degrees C
• 6,000 degrees C

At 2,700-4,200 degrees C, the umbra is much cooler than the atmosphere of the Sun.

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2 / 5 | The Little Ice Age which happened between early 14th century and mid-19th century was a time when glaciers had their maximum extent, and earth froze over. What is its connection to sunspots?

• More sunspots were seen than usual
• Length of the sunspot cycle changed from 11 years to 15 years
• Fewer sunspots were seen
• There was no connection, but people stopped observing sunspots during this time

There was a period called the Maunder minimum which correlated with the Little Ice Age when the sunspots were mysteriously low in number and the sun went “silent”.

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3 / 5 | Very strong solar flares can affect the earth. Which of the following is a possible effect of solar flares?

• Global warming
• Methane levels in the earth’s atmosphere
• Space weather changes
• Excess clouds and extreme rainfall

Space Weather changes are a likely result of huge solar flares, which spew out charged particles plasma and sometimes coronal mass ejections.

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4 / 5 | Which of the following precautions must you take during a solar eclipse?

• Don’t look directly at the Sun
• Do not eat during the eclipse
• Do not eat food cooked during the eclipse
• Don’t venture out during the eclipse

Don’t look directly at the sun. This is because when the shadow of the moon moves, revealing the sun in its full brightness, the light that hits the eye can damage the tissues. The other choices have no scientific basis.

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5 / 5 | Approximately how many years ago did the sun come into being?

• A million years
• 1 billion years
• 4.5 billion years
• 10 billion years

4.5 billion years ago. The sun is now nearly at the middle of its lifetime.

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