what is differential rotation for the sun and how does it affect the motion of sunspots on its surface?
The number of sunspots you can count on the Sun's surface is not always the same, but varies over time. Solar activity is directly related to the frequency of sunspots. Here is a plot showing the number of sun spots since 1995: ROTATION: The sun does not rotate as a rigid body. It is a gas from its outermost layers down to its centre. The equatorial region of the photosphere rotates faster than do regions at higher and lower latitudes. This is called differential rotation. The differential rotation of the Sun's latitudes causes its magnetic field lines to become twisted together over time, causing magnetic field loops to erupt from the Sun's surface and trigger the formation of the Sun's dramatic sunspots and solar prominences.