The sun has a layered structure, with the core, radiative zone, and convective zone making up the inner layers, and the photosphere, chromosphere, transition region, and corona making up the outer layers:
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CoreThe innermost layer, where nuclear fusion of hydrogen produces a huge amount of energy
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Radiative zoneMore than twice as thick as the core, extending to about 70% of the sun’s radius
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Convective zoneWhere the plasma interior of the sun moves in circular motions due to cycles of heating and cooling
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PhotosphereThe boundary between the sun’s interior and its atmosphere, and what we see as the sun’s visible surface
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ChromosphereThe lower atmosphere of the sun, which appears red when viewed through a solar telescope because of its high hydrogen content
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CoronaThe outer atmosphere of the sun, which extends millions of kilometers into space and is the source of solar wind
The sun is a giant ball of plasma made up mostly of hydrogen and helium. The sun’s energy moves from the core to the surface through radiation and convection, similar to how bubbles move upwards in boiling water.
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