Question

1. which layer of the suns interior produces energy?

a) radiative zone c) core
b) convective zone d) chromosphere

1. what happens when a star runs out of hydrogen fuel?

a) it collapses instantly c) it becomes a nebula
b) it expands and fuses heavier elements d) it cools into a brown dwarf

1. what is a solar minimum?

a) the hottest time in the suns cycle c) the start of a solar flare
b) the period of lowest sunspot activity d) a time of increased magnetic activity

Explanation:

• Question 16: The Sun's core is where nuclear fusion occurs, producing energy. The radiative zone and convective zone are layers that transport energy outward, and the chromosphere is part of the Sun's atmosphere.
• Question 17: When a star runs out of hydrogen fuel, it expands (becoming a red giant or super - giant depending on its mass) and starts fusing heavier elements like helium. It doesn't collapse instantly (unless it's a very massive star at a later stage), it doesn't become a nebula directly (a nebula is a cloud of gas and dust from which stars form or from supernova remnants), and a brown dwarf is a failed star that never had enough mass to start hydrogen fusion in the first place.
• Question 18: A solar minimum is the period of lowest sunspot activity in the solar cycle. It is not the hottest time (the temperature of the Sun is relatively stable over the solar cycle), it is not the start of a solar flare (solar flares can occur at any time but are more common during solar maxima), and it is a time of decreased magnetic activity compared to solar maxima.

Answer:

1. C. Core
2. B. It expands and fuses heavier elements
3. B. The period of lowest sunspot activity