1. Core:
* Composition: Primarily hydrogen and helium, with traces of heavier elements.
* Temperature: Approximately 15 million degrees Celsius (27 million degrees Fahrenheit).
* Process: Nuclear fusion occurs here, converting hydrogen into helium and releasing immense energy. This is the source of the Sun's energy.
2. Radiative Zone:
* Composition: Similar to the core, mostly hydrogen and helium.
* Temperature: Ranges from 7 million to 2 million degrees Celsius (13 million to 3.6 million degrees Fahrenheit).
* Process: Energy from the core is transported outward via photons, a process that takes millions of years due to the dense plasma.
3. Convective Zone:
* Composition: Similar to the radiative zone.
* Temperature: Ranges from 2 million to 5,500 degrees Celsius (3.6 million to 9,932 degrees Fahrenheit).
* Process: Hot plasma rises and cooler plasma sinks in a constant cycle, efficiently transporting energy to the surface.
4. Photosphere:
* Composition: Primarily hydrogen and helium, with traces of heavier elements.
* Temperature: Around 5,500 degrees Celsius (9,932 degrees Fahrenheit).
* Process: This is the visible surface of the Sun. It emits most of the sunlight we see.
5. Chromosphere:
* Composition: Thin layer of gas, primarily hydrogen and helium.
* Temperature: Ranges from 4,000 to 20,000 degrees Celsius (7,232 to 36,032 degrees Fahrenheit).
* Process: This layer is characterized by prominences, flares, and spicules, which are dynamic features driven by magnetic fields.
6. Corona:
* Composition: Very thin, hot plasma.
* Temperature: Can reach millions of degrees Celsius (millions of degrees Fahrenheit).
* Process: This outermost layer extends millions of kilometers into space. It is heated by magnetic fields and is the source of the solar wind.
It's important to note that these layers are not distinct boundaries but rather regions with gradually changing characteristics.
