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As we move to greater and greater distances above the solar photosphere, the temperature in the Sun's atmosphere _____.

a) Increases
b) Decreases
c) Remains constant
d) Fluctuates

User Shamella
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Final answer:

The temperature in the Sun's atmosphere increases as the distance from the solar photosphere grows, due to energy being transferred into the outer layers via magnetic reconnection and other processes.

Step-by-step explanation:

As we move to greater and greater distances above the solar photosphere, the temperature in the Sun's atmosphere increases. This might seem counterintuitive since we typically expect temperature to decrease with altitude, in Earth's atmosphere, for example. However, in the Sun's atmosphere, specifically in the transition region between the chromosphere and the corona, there is a very rapid increase in temperature over a very short distance. This peculiar increase in temperature is due to various factors, including the presence of magnetic reconnection and waves transferring energy into the outer layers of the Sun's atmosphere, resulting in heating processes that substantially raise the temperature in the corona.

User Ndronen
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