Cshore_lab 3

pdf

School

University of Victoria *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

ASTR-101

Subject

Physics

Date

Feb 20, 2024

Type

pdf

Pages

Uploaded by AmbassadorFieldSeal64

Caitlyn Shore V01040887 Feb 15, 2024 ASTR 101 Mallory Objective and Introduction: The objective is to use sunspots to estimate and prove the sun's rotation and therefore be able to estimate its structure and internal forces. The reason we think the sun rotates is because all Solar System bodies we have observed thus far rotate, the sun is formed of a large cloud of gas which is constantly in motion, and there is little information to suggest that the sun would be able to stop rotating, so if it was rotating once then it should still be rotating. Early astronomers realized the sun was rotating after observing sunspots with the naked eye. My assumption is that sunspots are fixed on the sun's surface. Procedure: - Eight images of the sun - Tracing paper - Straight edge, protractor, compass You have been given eight photos of the sun, each taken at noon on eight consecutive days. Display each photo one by one at the same zoom, so the whole sun is in frame. With the lights off, hold the tracing paper up to each of the images and trace the sun, the sunspots, and the edges of the image. Then, align all the images and draw all sunspots on one image to show their transformation. Next represent the curve of the sun by drawing a horizontal line across the spots. Put the edge of a new piece of paper on this line and redraw the semi-circle of the sun underneath the horizontal line. If you lift this second paper up to make it perpendicular to the first, you can see how this creates the curve of the sun. Draw straight lines perpendicular from the sunspots o show where they would be on the curved line. Finally, draw a spot in the middle of the semi-circle and connect the new spots to it. Using a protractor, measure the angles of the positions of the new spots. Then calculate the change in angle between each position and add this information to a chart. Using this information, calculate the period of rotation of the sun using the average of all your measurements. Observations, Tables and Graphs:

Caitlyn Shore V01040887 Feb 15, 2024 ASTR 101 Mallory angle Change in angle period ordered a 50 b 62 12 30 27.7 c 73 11 32.7 30 d 85 12 30 30 e 96 11 32.7 30 f 108 12 30 30 g 121 13 27.7 32.7 h 133 12 30 32.7 Median: 30 Uncertainty: 1.35 Calculations: Period = 365/Δ x 1 day 1392500 km x 3mm/137mm = 30492.7 km

Caitlyn Shore V01040887 Feb 15, 2024 ASTR 101 Mallory Answers: 1. 30492.7 km 2. You can check to see if the spots are roughly along the same line of latitude and rotate evenly 3. It affects the interpretation of my results because if the period is around 27 days at its equator and 30 by its poles, and the spots I analyzed are in-between the equator and its north pole my answer should be closer to 28, and I got 30 with an uncertainty of 1.35. So, therefore my interpretation has changed from thinking my answer was very correct to seeing the importance of calculating uncertainty. 4. The Ptolemaic placed the earth at the center of the universe with all celestial bodies; perfect and unchanging, orbiting it. However, spots indicated that the sun was not perfect, but rather an evolving. 5. The orbit of earth affects the results because you are taking the picture from a different spot in reference to the sun, unless you were to move the telescope slightly each day to account for the orbit. The reason for the difference between the sidereal and synodic periods is because as our moon moved around the earth, the earth is still moving around the sun therefor the moon must travel a little bit further to complete its path, hence why the rotation period is a little bit longer. Discussions: My results were expected, my work proves that sunspots can be used to estimate the rotational period of the sun with certain uncertainties. However, what was not expected was that my results were more congruent with sunspots observed near one the poled of the sun rather than near the equator, difference of about 3 days. The sources of uncertainty come from my ability to accurately trace and measure multiple pictures of the sun against each other. I am human and incapable of doing things scientifically "perfect", like how you can calibrate a machine to draw a perfect straight line I cannot. I could've used more computer programs to help me complete this assignment rather than on paper. I also used the assumption that sunspots are fixed to the sun, however if they are not and can deviate slightly then this will also affect my results. Conclusion and references:

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Caitlyn Shore V01040887 Feb 15, 2024 ASTR 101 Mallory In this lab I learned how to use sunspots to calculate the rotational period of the sun. I also learned how to trace multiple images of the sun and compare them to each other to get a change in angle per day. From this I used the average of my answers to estimate the sun's rotational period and the amount of uncertainty.

Related Documents

Motion (moving man)v.3.pdf

Quiz1-2.pdf

Lab 2 - Changing Motion.docx

problem set 9.docx

problem set 14.docx

Unit 3 week 3 Video Lab Speed of Sound_students _New.docx

1408 Week-9 Lab Homework[1736].pdf

PHY 101L Module Five Lab Report (1).docx

LAB10.docx

Ian Torregrosa Newtons_Laws_Recovery_Grade_Assignment.pdf

Lab #0 Report (1).pdf

Quiz 9.docx

Recommended textbooks for you

Astronomy

Physics

ISBN:9781938168284

Author:Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. Wolff

Publisher:OpenStax

Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems

Physics

ISBN:9780534408961

Author:Stephen T. Thornton, Jerry B. Marion

Publisher:Cengage Learning

Horizons: Exploring the Universe (MindTap Course ...

Physics

ISBN:9781305960961

Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman

Publisher:Cengage Learning

The Solar System

Physics

ISBN:9781337672252

Author:The Solar System

Publisher:Cengage

Foundations of Astronomy (MindTap Course List)

Physics

ISBN:9781337399920

Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman

Publisher:Cengage Learning

Stars and Galaxies (MindTap Course List)

Physics

ISBN:9781337399944

Author:Michael A. Seeds

Publisher:Cengage Learning

SEE MORE TEXTBOOKS

Recommended textbooks for you

Astronomy
Physics
ISBN:9781938168284
Author:Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. Wolff
Publisher:OpenStax
Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems
Physics
ISBN:9780534408961
Author:Stephen T. Thornton, Jerry B. Marion
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Horizons: Exploring the Universe (MindTap Course ...
Physics
ISBN:9781305960961
Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman
Publisher:Cengage Learning
The Solar System
Physics
ISBN:9781337672252
Author:The Solar System
Publisher:Cengage
Foundations of Astronomy (MindTap Course List)
Physics
ISBN:9781337399920
Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Stars and Galaxies (MindTap Course List)
Physics
ISBN:9781337399944
Author:Michael A. Seeds
Publisher:Cengage Learning