We have already learned how important the sun is in providing us with energy https://steemit.com/steemiteducation/@anneke/steemiteducation-energy-and-energy-transfer-from-the-sun-worksheet-for-gr-3-4
More about the Sun
VERY IMPORTANT - never look directly into the sun, you can damage your eyes. You need special lenses to photograph the sun. (You can also look at a solar eclipse through the foil bag that you get the tea bags in)
- Do you know what is the meaning of a solar eclipse? If you do not know, you will find the answer later on the worksheet.
The Sun is the closest star to Earth - and you thought you could only see stars at night. The Sun looks so much bigger than the other stars because it is closer to Earth than the other stars.
The Sun is a huge ball of very hot gas - It is made up of Hydrogen gas which changes into Helium gas (this change of gasses gives off energy and that makes the sun very hot.
The temperature of the sun is 5 500 degrees Celsius and it can melt rock - that is why we will never be able to get close to the sun. We will burn to a crisp.
The Sun has dark spots on it that we can see with special cameras -the dark spots move around on the surface because it is from the gas in the Sun moving around all the time. The Sun throws out huge streams of hot gas.
- Look at the picture at the top of the page again - can you explain what the dark spots are and the lines on the sides of the Sun?
The sun is much bigger than the earth - even though the sun looks small, it is just because it is very far away from Earth (146 to 152 million kilometers). If you could travel by car and you drive 120 kilometers per hour, you would travel for 146 years to reach the Sun!!
- Why will you not be able to travel to the Sun? (give two reasons)
The sun is so big that thousands of Earths can fit inside of the Sun. Look at the picture and see how the sizes compare.
All life on earth will die if we do not get energy from the sun - the plants will not be able to photosynthesize (make food), earth will freeze and humans and animals will die. The Sun is very important to us.
The Sun is one of millions and millions of stars in the Galaxy.
The Earth and other planets orbits (moves around) the Sun - next time we will learn more about planets.
The core of the Sun (the middle) produces its energy.
Outside of the Sun's surface (which is called the photosphere) we find two more layers of light gases called the chromosphere and the corona. (you can see the corona on an overcast day -it is the layer on the outside)
When the moon moves infront of the Sun and it casts a shadow over the Earth we call it a solar eclipse
You can also watch the video for more information on a solar eclipse
The Sun is very important to life on earth.
- Without the Sun we said that life on Earth would not be possible - it will be dark and freezing cold
- We hang our washing outside to dry in the sun
- A long time ago people used a sundial to tell the time
4. Some people have solar water heaters on their roofs and use the energy from the Sun is used to heat the water.
- Can you think of a few more reasons why we need the sun?
Always remember that the Sun can be harmful and you must always put on sunblock if you go out in the Sun, so that you do not get sunburned.
Watch the video for extra information
