The Sun
The sun has different types of layers all with different temperatures and uses. The layers of the sun, listed from the inside out, are; the Core, Radiation Zone, Convection Zone, Surface, Chromosphere, Transition Region and the Corona.
The Core
The core is the source of all the Sun'd energy fortunately though, the Sun's energy output is just about constant so we do not see much damage in it's brightness or the heat it gives off. The core has a very high temperature which measures approximately more than 15 million degrees Kelvin and is extremely dense. The combination of all these properties mean that the core creates an environment just right for nuclear reactions to occur.
Temperature: 15,000,000
Density: 150,000
Temperature: 15,000,000
Density: 150,000
Radiation Zone
The energy that is produced in the core need a way to travel to the outer regions from the solar centre. The most efficient mean of transferring energy near the core is by radiation. The region surrounding the solar centre, core, is called the Radiation Zone and is known as the solar interior. Throughout the region of the Radiation Zone is that energy, which is in the form of radiation, is transferred by its interaction with the surrounding atoms. The temperatures in the Radiation Zone are a little cooler than the core and as a result of this some atoms are able to remain intact. These few intact atoms absorb energy, store it for while and then later emit the energy as new radiation. This means that the energy from the core is passed through the Radiation Zone from atom to atom. An example of this would be if you were in a crowded gym that had a sink in one end and someone wanting a drink in the other. Each person is holding the a glass and the gym room is so crowded that no one can move, so the person nearest the sink fill their glass. They tip the remains of their glass into the glass closest. This process continues, passing the water across the gym. This is very similar to energy being passed from atom to atom until it reaches the end of the Radiation Zone. Although unlike the crowded gym, there is no direct communication between one end of the Radiation Zone to the other. In a crowded gym the people would pass the water directly so that it reached the person that needed it. In the Radiation Zone the energy is passed at random from atom to atom. Sometimes moving outwards, sometimes inward and often just side to side. It takes a massive 170 thousand years for the energy released from the core to get out of the Radiation Zone.
Temperature: 5,000,000 - 2,000,000
Density: 20,000 - 200
Temperature: 5,000,000 - 2,000,000
Density: 20,000 - 200
Convection Zone
After approximately 170 thousand years, which is how long the energy takes to travel through the Radiation Zone, the energy requires a new transport mechanism to be able to continue its journey to the surface. The new mean of transport is needed as the temperature outside of the Radiation Zone is relatively cool, a incredible 2million degrees kelvin opposed to 5 million degrees Kelvin. At this temperature the atoms will absorb energy but will not release it so easily, this being caused by the fact that things are cool and dense. The transfer of energy by radiation slows done significantly. After the energy is passed through the Radiation Zone we find ourselves in the region of the Sun's interior known as the Convection Zone. The hotter material is near the top of the Radiation Zone which is also the bottom of the Convection Zone. This hot material rises up and the cooler material sinks to the bottom. When the hot material reaches the top of the Convection Zone it begins to cool and starts to sink. As it is sinking, it will start to heat up again and will start to rise again. This will start to produce a rolling motion the same as a pot of boiling water. The hot material follows a direct path through the Convection Zone and the energy will be transferred a lot faster than it is by radiation. The energy only takes a little more than a week for the hot material to carry its energy to the top of the Convection Zone.
Temperature: 2,000,000 - 660,000
Density: 0.0002
Temperature: 2,000,000 - 660,000
Density: 0.0002
Surface
The surface is apart of the exterior of the Sun and can be studied using telescopes and radiation detectors. Surface is also known as the Photosphere as the Photosphere is considered by scientists as being the apparent surface of the Sun. The sun is completely made up of Gas which means that there is no hard surface like Earth has. When we look at the Sun there is a depth past which gas begins to get dense making it impossible to see through. We know this region where that happens as being the apparent surface, Photosphere. The Photosphere is the disk that you can see in the sky when the sun is looked at through filtered telescopes or as a projection on a piece of paper. It is advised that you do not look directly at the sun as it may cause blindness. Again, like in the Radiation Zone, the energy is transported through the Photosphere by radiation. The temperature is very cool, approximately 5800 degrees Kelvin. The gas is thin enough in the Photosphere that atoms absorb and also release the energy. Most light that we see on our Earth has been released by atoms inn the Photosphere. It takes just over 8 minutes for the light to reach our Earth.
Temperature: 6,000
Density: 0.0002
Temperature: 6,000
Density: 0.0002
Chromosphere
The Chromosphere is a layer of gas which is approximately 2000km thick and is sitting above the Photosphere. Just like the Photosphere, the energy is still being transported by radiation. They Hydrogen atoms absorb the energy from the Photosphere and then emits most of that energy as red light. The Chromosphere is the most easily viewed section of the Sun and is easily viewed by filtering out all over wavelengths of light from the sun and only letting the red light, from the Chromosphere, through. The views of the Chromosphere show convective cell patterns very similar to those in the Photosphere but they are a lot larger. These large scale convection is known as super-granulation. A significant feature of the Chromosphere is the jagged outer layers which are constantly changing. The motion is much like flames shooting up several thousand of kilometres and then falling apart. These spiky, dancing flames are known as Spicules.
Temperature: 6000 - 20,000
Density: 0.0000000001
Temperature: 6000 - 20,000
Density: 0.0000000001
Transition Region
The Transition Region is a very thin layer of the Sun's atmosphere which is about 100km thick and is above the Chromosphere. The temperature rises drastically from a minor 20,00 degrees Kelvin is the upper Chromosphere to a massive 2 million degrees kelvin and more in the Corona. It is still not known why the temperature rises so much in the outermost layers of the sun which are a long distance from the heat producing core. It is suspected by researchers that the complicated structure of the Sun's magnetic field may provide clues to the dramatic increase in the temperature over such a small change in radius.
Temperature: 20,000 - 1,000,000
Density: 0.00000000001
Temperature: 20,000 - 1,000,000
Density: 0.00000000001
Corona
The Corona gets its name from the crown like appearance during an total solar eclipse. The Corona stretches along way out into space, in fact several Corona particles even reach the Earth's orbit. The Corona is extremely thin and very faint which means it can only be seen in a total solar eclipse or by using a coronagraph telescope. The shape is mostly determined by magnetic of the Sun. Sometimes, when the magnetic field emerges from the lower regions and then loops back into the Sun. The magnetic structures can be seen extending up into to Corona. The Sun's Corona emits a range of energy including many different wavelengths. There is long wavelengths which are radio waves to short wavelengths which are X-Rays. The Short wavelength X-Rays are unable to make it through the Earth's atmosphere meaning that X-Ray images of the Corona must be taken from above our atmosphere from telescopes in space. The images are taken by a telescope on Yohkah satellite.
Temperature: 2,000,000
Density: 0.000000000001
Temperature: 2,000,000
Density: 0.000000000001
The sun can have mnay
Sun Spots
Sunpots are regions of the Sun's surface that is marked by a lower temperature than its surrondings and intense magnetic activity. Sunspots are blindingly bright, having a temperature of approximately 5000 kelvin and the contrast with the surrounding material at some 6000 Kelvin leaves them to be clearly visible as dark spots. They only temporarily appear on the Sun's surface. The spots usually appear in pairs or groups of pairs and each spot is found with a dark, circular centre called the umbrella.
Flares
Solar Flares are violent eruptions that explode from the Sun's photosphere with energies that are equivalent to tens of million of hydrogen bombs. The flares from the Sun send out streams of highly energetic Solar Winds that may present a radiation hazard towards a spacecraft out of planetarymagnetospheres which can disrupt radio signals on Earth. Flares were first observed on the Sun in 1859. The frequency of Flares vary, from several per day when researchers say the sun is "active" to fewer than one each week when the sun is "quiet". They can take several hours or even several days to build up but an actual flare takes only a matter of minutes to release all of its energy. There are radiation risks posed by Solar Flares and one of the major concerns in discussions of manned missions to Mars. There will need to be some kind of physical or magnetic shielding required.
Prominences
Solar Prominences are when the magnetic field emerges from the lower regions and loops back down into the sun. These magnetic structures can even sometimes be seen extending ip into the Corona. Particles will then follow the path which created by the magnetic field is forming dynamic loops and arches that are clearly visible with special telescopes.
Solar Wind
Particles from the Corona also stream out along the magnetic field lines of the sun that extend into interstellar space, which is known as Solar Winds. The particles are transported through space by the Solar Wind at 400km per second. Once the Solar Wind reaches the Earth, the magnetic field of the Earth may trap these electrons and protons and pull them into the Earth's atmosphere.
Solar Cycle
Usually the Sun follows a pattern of activity that lasts 11 years, this pattern being known as the Solar Cycle. At the beginning of the Solar Cycle sunspots start to appear in increasing numbers near the poles. Astronomers have been tracking Solar Cycles for 400 years and for a large percentage of this time, the sun has been behaving according to the 11-year pattern although recent studies of sunspots and other observations of the sun suggest that the sun's cycle may not be starting on schedule this time.
Sunscreen Debate
UV A
The radiation of UV A has a massive 95% of all UV made by the sun. It causes skin ageing as well as sunburn and it is not visible to humans. 99% of the ultraviolet light that reaches the Earth's surface is UV A. UV A is most definitely the least harmful out of all of them but will cause sunburn at high exposures.
UV B
The radiation of UV B only has 5% made by the sun. There is some DNA damage as well as skin cancers which can be caused and sunburn. It is not visible to humans. UV B in high exposures are hazardous to the eyes and may cause Photokeratitis which is also known as Welder's Flash. UV B has been linked to skin cancers such as melanoma. This cancer connection is the reason why people are concerned by ozone depletion and the ozone hole.
UV C
The radiation of UV C only has <1% made by the sun and it may cause DNA damage. UV C is not visible to humans. Just like UV B, UV C has also been linked to skin cancers just like Melanoma. Although it is not as serious as UV B as it does not cause as much damage.
Visible Light
Visible light is why we can see colours. Every colour has its own wavelength and when they are all seen together it makes white light. Visible Light has 43% made by the sun and has no known effect on human skin. It is the only one that is visible to Humans.
Infrared Radiation
Infrared Radiation is a wavelength longer than visible light but shorter than microwave radiation. Infrared Radiation has wavelengths between 700nm and 1mm. Infrared Radiation has roughly 49% made by the sun and the effect on human skin is heat sensation. It is not visible to humans.
It is believed that the regular sunscreen we are use, whilst feeling more comfortable on your skin, is actually offering us no protection at all but maybe encouraging the growth of some cancers, depending on what type of brand you use. A better solution would be to wear Zinc and more sun protective clothing to ensure that our skin will be thoroughly protected from the harmful rays of the sun.
I believe that there is no need for us to wear sunscreen as it does not offer any protection as the skin absorbs it whereas Zinc, which stays white on the skin, is the best protection we can get. Therefore I believe you should wear Zinc when you are out in the sun.
How do Nanoparticles Cause Illness?
Nanoparticles are large enough that they can cause trouble by interfering with normal cell processes. Researchers at Massachusetts University say that such nanoparticles are currently being used in electronics, cosmetics and chemical manufacturing as well as among other industries. Nanoparticles are such an extremely small size that it can be difficult to isolate them from the larger environment and they are also much too small for removal by conventional filtering techniques. This means that when Nanoparticles find their way into cancer cells they can cause havoc. Even now, very little is known about how they will interact with and affect humans.
Nanoparticles are large enough that they can cause trouble by interfering with normal cell processes. Researchers at Massachusetts University say that such nanoparticles are currently being used in electronics, cosmetics and chemical manufacturing as well as among other industries. Nanoparticles are such an extremely small size that it can be difficult to isolate them from the larger environment and they are also much too small for removal by conventional filtering techniques. This means that when Nanoparticles find their way into cancer cells they can cause havoc. Even now, very little is known about how they will interact with and affect humans.