The Importance of the Sun

What is the sun?

The sun is the largest star in the solar system and is located in the center. The sun’s surface is described as a photosphere, where granulation and sunspots are observed. The sun releases heat from the inside out. The cooled part on the outside sinks as it moves downward. Convection occurs through this process, and granulation is observed through this convection phenomenon. The sunspots look dark because they have a lower temperature than the surrounding area, and these sunspots are observed in various sizes and shapes. The chromosphere and corona make up the sun’s atmosphere. The sun’s chromosphere, which is highlighted in red, can be seen during a total solar eclipse. The corona of the sun has a very high temperature. In addition, prominence and flare are terms used to describe the massive energy production that surrounds a sunspot and the appearance of a ring-shaped fire in the sun’s atmosphere. When the sun is active, prominence and flare phenomena are common, and the size of sunspots and the corona increases (Choi, 2017).

How is the sun related to vitamins?

The light of the sun has a positive effect on our bodies. When UVB, one of the sun’s rays, touches our skin, the subcutaneous fat in the skin is stimulated. Through this stimulation, UVB produces vitamin D. This vitamin D moves through blood vessels to the liver and kidneys and then helps activate vitamin D. After that, calcium is produced in the small intestine and helps absorb it, helping our bones to be strong. A lack of vitamin D can cause our bones to deteriorate because our bodies are unable to generate calcium, which can result in conditions like osteoporosis. On the other hand, excessive sun exposure can damage our skin’s tissues and result in illnesses like skin cancer. For this reason, we must make sure that we can live a healthy life by obtaining a proper dose of vitamin D from the sun through regular outside activity (Barrell, 2021).

Why is the sun necessary for growing crops?

Sunlight is used for photosynthesis in the case of plants and crops, which results in the acquisition and growth of nutrients. In other words, plants receive glucose and oxygen from the sun’s light. Plants use their leaves to absorb carbon dioxide and their roots to obtain water because photosynthesis requires both substances.Through this photosynthesis process, glucose is converted into starch, stored in the chloroplasts of plants, and used for plant growth using this nutrient (Dobrijevic, 2021).

How is the sun related to seasons and magnetic fields?

In the spring and fall, we feel warm, while the summer is scorching and the winter is frigid. The sun has a role in how the seasons change. The Earth’s axis of rotation tilts and revolves around the sun, which is the cause. We experience the summer season when the Earth is close to the sun, and the winter season when it is distant from the sun.And in summer, the sun rises early and sets late because of its high south-central altitude. Also, in winter, the sun rises late and sets early because the south-central altitude of the sun is low. In other words, through the south-middle-high altitude of the sun, we feel seasonal changes in the length of day and night (Millis, 2020).

Conclusion

The largest planet in the solar system, the sun, is situated at the system’s center. We obtain vitamin D and improve our health thanks to this sunlight. With photosynthesis, plants also expand and produce food for us. And because it gives us different seasons, we need to understand the function and significance of the sun.

References

Barrell, A. (2021). How to get the most vitamin D from the sun: Tips and other sources. [online]
www.medicalnewstoday.com. Available at:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326167#vitamin-d-and-the-sun [Accessed 10 March 2023].

Choi, C.Q. (2017). Earth’s Sun: Facts About the Sun’s Age, Size and History. [online] Space.com.
Available at: https://www.space.com/58-the-sun-formation-facts-and-characteristics.html [Accessed 10 March 2023].

Dobrijevic, D. (2021). What Is Photosynthesis? [online] Live Science. Available at:
https://www.livescience.com/51720-photosynthesis.html [Accessed 10 March 2023].

Millis, J.P. (2020). Why Do We Have Seasons? [online] ThoughtCo. Available at:
https://www.thoughtco.com/what-causes-the-seasons-on-earth-3072536 [Accessed 10 March 2023].

By Hyein Moon

She is a Concordia International University student.

No widgets found. Go to Widget page and add the widget in Offcanvas Sidebar Widget Area.
Search