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Lab #3

         

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Name                                                                     Date

Mrs. Luna                                                              Period

Lab # 3: SUNSPOT ANALYSIS                                      Group #_____

DUE DATE:___________                                     Group Members:

Lab Minutes: __________                                      _____________                      

                                                                             _______________

 

Sunspot Analysis

 

Introduction:  Photographs of the sun show dark areas on its surface.  These spots are believed to be due to solar storms, areas of cooler gases on the surface.  The number and patterns of these spots change with time.

          When the data collected over many years are graphed, a pattern emerges.  This picture-like representation makes it easier to see relationships that are not obvious from a column of numbers.

 

Objective:  You will see how graphing a natural phenomenon can aid in prediction future events.

 

Materials:

         

          Pencil

          Pen

          Graph Paper

          Eraser

 

Procedure:  PLEASE USE PENCIL.

  1. Using the data given, graph the number of sunspots in the years from 1950 to 2004.
  2. This is a Line Graph, so be sure to label the X and Y axis. 
  3. Make sure each axis is properly labeled.
  4. The Graph will need a Title.
  5. Connect all your points with a smooth, curved line.

 

 

 

 

Data

 

Average Annual Sunspot Numbers

 

      Year                     Number of

                                   Sunspots

      Year                       Number of

                                     Sunspots

     1950                            84

     1951                            69

     1952                            30

     1953                            13

     1954                              4

     1955                            38

     1956                           141

     1957                           176

     1958                           185

     1959                           158

     1960                           112

     1961                            54

     1962                            38

     1963                            28

     1964                            10

     1965                            15

     1966                            47

     1967                            94

     1968                          106

     1969                          105

     1970                          105

     1971                            67

     1972                            69

     1973                            38

     1974                            34

     1975                            16

     1976                            13

 

1977                                                                    27

1978                                                                    93

1979                                                                    155

1980                                                                    146

1981                                                                     134

1982                                                                    116

1983                                                                    72

1984                                                                    46

1985                                                                    18

1986                                                                    13

1987                                                                    29

1988                                                                    50

1989                                                                    145

1990                                                                    155

1991                                                                     150

1992                                                                    94

1993                                                                    55

1994                                                                    30

1995                                                                    18

1996                                                                    7

1997                                                                    21

1998                                                                    64

1999                                                                    93

2000                                                                  130

2001                                                                    137

2002                                                                  100

2003                                                                  50

2004                                                                  45

 

 

 

 

Discussion Questions:

 

  1. What is an event? _____________________________________________________

 

  1. What is a frame of reference?

 

__________________________________________________________________

  1. What is a time scale? __________________________________________________________________

 

  1. What is an independent variable?

 

__________________________________________________________________

 

  1. What is a dependent variable?

__________________________________________________________________

 

  1. What does the word “predicable” mean? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

  1. What does the word “cyclic” mean?

 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

  1. What does the word “extrapolate” mean? 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

  1. Describe the pattern shown on your graph.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

  1. On your graph, which quantity is the dependent variable?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

  1. Each peak on the graph represents a sunspot maximum.  In which years do these maxima occur?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

     

  1. According to your graph, during which years did the last maximum occur?

__________________________________________________________________

 

  1. What is the average time span (to the nearest tenth of a year) between maxima?

__________________________________________________________________

 

  1. What is the average time span (to the nearest tenth of year) between minima?

__________________________________________________________________

  1. What is the average time of one complete sunspot cycle?

__________________________________________________________________

 

  1. Predict when the next maximum will occur after the last one plotted on your graph.  Use your answers to questions 4 and 5 to assist you on this question.

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

  1. Predict when the next minimum will occur after the last one platted on your graph.  Use your answer to questions 6 to assist you on this question.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

  1. Extrapolate this graph at its present rate to determine approximately how many sunspots will occur in the year that you will graduate from high school.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

     Conclusion:  How does graphing show us that some natural phenomena may be predictable?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

           

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