Quest for Space Enchantment Day 3

May 26, 2009	
==Description==
Welcome to The VFK Space Enchantment Epic Quest Day 3! <BR><BR>
Life on Earth would not be possible without the Sun. It is the most brilliant object in the sky and an awesome power. At the center of the solar system, the sun is the cohesive force which holds nine planets, asteroids, meteoroids and other space matter in orbit around it. It's energy is essential for supporting and sustaining life. Humans rely on the sun for visual light, heat and even for powering solar devices. The Sun is responsible for regulating and determining climate and weather cycles on the Earth. For the third day of our epic quest for Space Enchantment, we will explore all about the Sun.<BR><BR>
Your reward for completing this quest will be 1,000 credits, and the Space Enchantment Epic Quest Day 3 Pin!<BR><BR><BR>
===Prizes===
===Questions===
1. The Sun, a massive star, is essentially a huge burning sphere of gas, comprised of 74% hydrogen and 25% helium. The 1% remaining includes small amounts of a number of heavier elements. Of the solar system's total mass, the Sun is 99.86 percent of the total. Structurally, the Sun has three layers or zones. At its center is the core, then the next layer out is a radioactive zone, then a convective zone. The Sun produces energy through thermonuclear reactions which is the process of converting hydrogen to helium in the central core. What is the temperature of this central core? 
* 15,000 degrees
* 5,000 degrees
* 15 - 25 million degrees 
* No one has been able to estimate the temperature 
2. The energy produced by the core radiates through the middle layer, or radioactive zone then actually boils to the surface through convection. Astronomers, of course cannot see the interior of the sun, however they have obtained their knowledge indirectly. They have observed the properties of the Sun as a whole, and also have based some of their calculations on phenomena in the zones which are observable. Go to the back of the Sydney Opera House in Australia and say "The Sun is a big burning sphere of gas." 
3. The Sun's atmosphere also has layers. It is comprised of the photosphere, the chromosphere, the transition zone and the corona. Past the corona, particles or coronal gas is emitted from the surface. These particles emanate away from the Sun at a million miles per hour. What are these particles called?
* Solar flares
* The solar wind
* Sunspots 
* Magnetic tubes 
4. Solar energy radiates through the photosphere. The photosphere which is the sun's outer visible layer, has a blotchy appearance from the violent eruptions of energy on the surface. The energy passes through this first layer and on through the chromosphere region where faculae and flares arise. Faculae are clouds of luminous hydrogen which develop over areas where sunspots are developing. The corona, or the outer part of the Sun's atmosphere produces Prominences. These features are huge clouds of glowing gas which explode from the upper chromosphere. The corona extends way out into space and is comprised of particles traveling away from the sun. The corona is visible during total solar eclipses. Go to the Waterfall in the Audubon's Wildlife Adventure game and say "I've heard this is a good place to spot a sun dog."
5. Magnetic fields inside the Sun slow the radiation of heat in some zones on the surface of the sun. The cool zones appear as darker patches. These Sunspots, may be as large as 50,000 miles across and expand and contract as they move along the surface. The activity of Sunspots is due to magnetic pressure, which can be understood by putting two magnets together. If you try to put the positive ends together, you can feel the magnetic pressure. You can think of the Sunspot as a bubble of magnetic pressure. What kind of pressure exists on the outside of the Sunspot?
* Air pressure 
* Barometric pressure 
* Gravitational pressure
* Gas pressure
6. The theory is that for a Sunspot to develop, there needs to be balanced pressure between inside the Sunspot and outside the sunspot. Outside, you find only gas pressure which depends upon temperature. Within the Sunspot, there exists both gas and magnetic field pressure. The magnetic pressure inside the Sunspot enables the gas pressure and therefore the temperature to stay lower than the zones outside the Sunspot. Go to the outside of the Mercantile in the Wild West and say "It sure is a sunny day out today!"
7. The sun often projects plumes of energy from its surface. These eruptions of solar wind, or solar flares, are comprised of Gamma rays, X-rays and energized particles. The amount of energy which can be released in only a few minutes by a solar flare is equivalent to a billion megatons of dynamite. When Sunspot activity increases, so does solar flare activity. Another type of surface eruption is similar to a solar flare. This bubble of gas and energized particles takes several hours to project. What is this longer duration solar emission called? 
* Gravity Flare
* Coronal Mass Ejection 
* Elongated Solar Flare 
* Tempered Solar Emergence
8. The effect that solar flares have on Earth is very damaging. The flare activity can disrupt the Earth's atmosphere. Solar flares can cause power blackouts, deflect satellites out of orbit and disrupt communications. The magnetic field of the Earth, however wards off much of the solar radiation. It deflects most of the radiation out around the Earth. In addition, the energized particles can excite nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere and cause a phenomenon that is visible at the region of the North Pole called the "aurora borealis". Go to the Castle Gate in Medieval Age and say "The Northern Lights are amazing!" 
9. Some of the strangest occurrences of the Sun happen at sunset. There are a number of unusual affects that must be explained by blaming ice crystals in the atmosphere. Such phenomenon as solar pillars and the mysterious "green flash" are rare and fleeting. In order to see these tricks of light, you need to be in a location where you have a long low view of the horizon facing the setting sun. The Earth's atmosphere in effect acts like a prism. It splits the white light into three main colors. At sunset when the refraction of the atmosphere is most visible, you may see three images of the sun. You may see a blue one on top, a red one on the bottom and a green one in the middle. Which color is refracted the most?
* Blue
* Green
* Red 
* They are refracted equally
10. One of the strange phenomenon of the setting sun is the green flash. This is the rarest of the tricks of light performed by the sun. It is a small green flash from the sun just as it is setting. The explanation for this is the different amount that the light is scattered in the atmosphere. The blue light is so scattered that it doesn't reach our eyes. The red light which travels most successfully through the atmosphere is displayed easily by the color of the sunset. However, for just a second the green color gets through and causes the flash effect that people have witnessed. Go to the Victorian House on the street in Victorian Age, and say "Isn't the sunset beautiful?"
===Answers===
1. 15 - 25 million degrees
2. Go to the Sydney Opera House - Back in Australia and say "The Sun is a big burning sphere of gas."
3. The solar wind
4. Go to the Tranquil Waterfall Audubon's Wildlife Adventure game and say "I've heard this is a good place to spot a sun dog."
5. Gas pressure
6. Go to the Outside Mercantile in the Wild West and say "It sure is a sunny day out today!"
7. Coronal Mass Ejection
8. Go to the Castle Gate in Medieval Age and say "The Northern Lights are amazing!"
9. Blue
10. Go to the Victorian House on the street in Victorian Age, and say "Isn't the sunset beautiful?"
Category:Quests Category:Epic Quests