How is the Sun's rotation different than that of Earth's?
What will be an ideal response?
Earth is a solid body and rotates equally at all latitudes. The Sun does not rotate as a rigid body; this is possible because the Sun is entirely gas. For example, the equatorial region of the photosphere rotates faster than do regions at higher latitudes. At the equator, the photosphere rotates once every 24.5 days, but at latitude 45 degrees, one rotation takes 27.8 days. This phenomenon is called differential rotation. Helioseismology maps of rotation in the Sun's interior reveal that the gas at different levels also rotates with different periods, another type of differential rotation. Both types of differential rotation seem to be involved in the Sun's magnetic cycle.
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In which is the temperature greater?
A) boiling-hot tea in a cup B) boiling-hot tea in a fire-engine pail C) both the same
Which of the following is not a real difference between asteroids and comets?
A) Asteroids orbit the Sun, whereas comets just float randomly around in the Oort cloud. B) Most asteroids are located much nearer to the Sun than most comets. C) It is thought that comets are far more numerous than asteroids. D) Asteroids are made mostly of rock and comets are made mostly of ice.
How do atmospheric windows limit observations made from Earth's surface?
What will be an ideal response?
What is one of the alternatives to the hypothesized existence of dark matter?
A) The astronomers are misrepresenting the observations. B) The current theory of gravity is being used incorrectly. C) The observations are incorrect. D) The theory of gravity is wrong.