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The Sun
6th Grade Solar System and The Sun
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sun spot | Dark area of gas on the Sun’s surface that is cooler than surrounding gases |
| prominence | Huge, reddish loop of gas which links together sunspot regions |
| solar flare | Eruption of gas and energy from the Sun’s surface when sunspots suddenly connect |
| solar wind | Streams of electrically charged particles which flow out from the Sun’s corona into space |
| Photosphere | The surface layer of the Sun’s atmosphere which gives off visible light |
| Chromosphere | The red, glowing middle layer of the Sun’s atmosphere |
| Corona | The white halo outer layer of the Sun’s atmosphere |
| Radiation Zone | Region of very tightly packed gas where energy is transferred mainly in the form of electromagnetic radiation (middle layer of Sun’s interior) |
| Convection Zone | The outermost layer of the Sun’s interior where hot gasses rise from the bottom gradually and cool as they approach the top. Cooler gases then sink back to the bottom. |
| aurora | Solar winds create powerful electric currents that cause gas molecules to glow when they interact with our atmosphere |
| Geocentric Model | The earth centered model of the solar system |
| Heliocentric Model | The Sun-centered model of the solar system |
| Ellipse | The oval shape of the planet’s orbit |
| Nuclear Fusion | Energy-creating process where hydrogen atoms join together in the Sun’s core to form helium |
| Terrestrial Planets | The four small, dense, rocky, inner planets |
| Gas Giants | The four massive, non-solid outer planets |