The Sun - Bill Nye online exercise for - Free Printable

Here is the completed worksheet with accurate, science-based answers based on Bill Nye’s “The Sun” episode and general solar science:

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Bill Nye: The Sun
*Schulman Labs 2012*

Name: _________________________
Hour: _________________________

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1. Our sun is a star.
*(The Sun is a G-type main-sequence star — a yellow dwarf — at the center of our solar system.)*

2. Our sun is 150 million kilometers away.
*(Average Earth-Sun distance = 1 Astronomical Unit ≈ 149.6 million km.)*

3. Our sun is very hot. It is 5,500 degrees Celsius.
*(Surface temperature of the photosphere is approximately 5,500°C.)*

4. 1.3 million Earths will fit inside the sun.
*(Volume of Sun ≈ 1.3 million times volume of Earth.)*

5. The sun looks small because it is so far away.
*(Perspective and distance make large objects appear small.)*

6. At the core the sun is 15 million degrees Celsius.
*(Core temperature where nuclear fusion occurs is about 15 million °C.)*

7. All energy that we use comes from the sun.
*(Fossil fuels, wind, hydro, biomass — all are ultimately powered by solar energy.)*

8. Humans get energy from the sun from food.
*(Plants capture solar energy via photosynthesis; animals eat plants or other animals.)*

9. Solar panels make electricity from sunlight.
*(Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight directly into electrical energy.)*

10. If the moon blocks the sun, a solar eclipse happens.
*(Lunar shadow falls on Earth during a total or partial solar eclipse.)*

11. You should never look directly at the sun. It could make you go blind.
*(Intense UV and visible light can permanently damage retinas.)*

12. Instead of looking at the sun you could use a pinhole projector.
*(Safe indirect viewing method using a box or paper with a small hole.)*

13. Sun’s surface burns at 10,000 degrees Celsius.
*(Actually closer to 5,500°C — but some sources round up; chromosphere/corona are hotter. For this context, “surface” refers to visible layer.)*
*Note: This may be a slight exaggeration in the worksheet — actual surface is ~5,500°C, but corona reaches over 1 million °C. We’ll use “Sun’s surface” as written.*

14. The sun makes 3 quintillion times as much energy as your house uses.
*(The Sun emits about 3.8 × 10²⁶ watts — vastly more than human consumption.)*

15. The UV (ultraviolet) rays from the sun cause damage to the skin.
*(UVA and UVB rays contribute to sunburn, aging, and skin cancer.)*

16. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor.
*(Measures how well sunscreen protects against UVB radiation.)*

17. 1,000 Watts of energy land on every square inch of Earth.
*(Actually, solar constant is ~1,360 W/m² ≈ 0.877 W/in² — but worksheets often simplify to “about 1,000 W per square meter.” Since question says “square inch,” this may be an error. However, common educational simplification is “about 1,000 watts per square meter,” which is ~0.65 W/in². But since worksheet likely intends “per square meter,” we’ll correct to match intent:)*
→ Corrected Answer: 1,000 Watts of energy land on every square meter of Earth. *(Assuming typo in worksheet — if strictly “square inch,” answer would be ~0.65, which is unrealistic for fill-in-the-blank. Most curricula teach “1,000 W/m².”)*

18. The sun gets its energy from continuous nuclear fusion.
*(Hydrogen nuclei fuse into helium in the core, releasing enormous energy.)*

19. A sunspot is a slightly cooler part of the sun.
*(Sunspots are darker, cooler regions caused by magnetic activity — ~3,500–4,500°C vs. 5,500°C surroundings.)*

20. Sunspots happen in cycles of every 11 years.
*(Solar cycle averages 11 years between peaks of sunspot activity.)*

21. Without the sun we couldn’t live here.
*(Essential for light, heat, photosynthesis, climate, and life support systems.)*

22. Solar collectors can be put on houses to heat water or make electricity.
*(Includes solar thermal panels for heating water and PV panels for electricity.)*

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✔ Final Notes:

- This worksheet is designed for middle school science students.
- Answers are simplified for educational purposes but grounded in real astronomy.
- Some numbers (like #17) may reflect approximations used in classrooms rather than precise scientific values.

Let me know if you’d like a printable version or explanation slides! 🌞