Year 7 Science · Unit 4 · Lesson 15 · Extension
Master Worksheet
Learning Goals
Sun fact file
Read the table of facts about the Sun, then answer the questions below it.
| Fact about the Sun | Detail |
|---|---|
| What it is | A star, a giant ball of hot glowing gas (plasma) |
| Size compared with Earth | About 1.3 million Earths could fit inside it |
| How it makes energy | Joining hydrogen into helium (nuclear fusion) in its core |
| Age | About 4.6 billion years old, which is middle-aged for a star |
| Layers we can name | Core, photosphere, corona |
Using the table, why is it fair to call the Sun "middle-aged" rather than "old"?
Label and explain the Sun
Diagram
The diagram below is a cross-section of the Sun. The arrows point to three layers. Use what you have learned to label each one and say what it does.
(a) Write the correct layer name (core, photosphere or corona) for arrows 1, 2 and 3, and state one thing each layer does.
(b) Explain how the Sun makes its energy and why it can keep doing so for billions of years. Use the words hydrogen, helium, nuclear fusion and core.
(c) Evaluate this statement: "If you really want to study the Sun closely, the best way is to look at it through a powerful telescope." Do you agree? Justify your answer and describe a safe method you would use instead.
Wrap Up
In one sentence, what was the main idea of this lesson?