SUNSPOT ANALYSIS LAB date ________

Name ______________________ Lab Sect ________

1. Describe the pattern on this graph._____________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
2. On this graph, which quantity
is the dependent variable? ____________________________________
3. Each peak on the graph represents a sunspot maximum. In which years do these
peaks (or maxima) occur?
___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________
4. According to the data graphed, during
which year did the last maximum occur? _______________
5. List the number of years between the maxima:

____________ ____________ ____________ ____________

6. What is the average time span—to the nearest tenth of a year—between the peaks
which represent sunspot maximums? SHOW YOUR CALCULATIONS:
______________
7. Predict when the next maximum will occur
after the last one plotted on your graph. ________________
8. Each valley represents a sunspot minimum. In which years do these valleys
(minima) occur?
___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________
9. List the number of years between the minima:

____________ ____________ ____________ ____________

10. What is the average time span—to the nearest tenth of a year—between the years
when the sunspot occurrence is at a minimum (or minima)? SHOW CALCS.
____________
11. Predict when the next minimum will occur
after the last one plotted on your graph. ____________
12. What is the average time of one
complete sunspot cycle? SHOW CALCS: _____________
13. How does graphing show that some natural phenomena may be predictable?
___________________________________________________________________
1
 DATA PAGE
AVERAGE ANNUAL SUNSPOT NUMBERS

2
Name ______________________ Lab Sect ________

SUNSPOT ______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
EVENT _________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
FRAME OF REFERENCE _________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
TIME SCALE ____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
DEPENDENT VARIABLE _________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
PREDICTABLE __________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
CYCLIC ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
EXTRAPOLATE _________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

3
 DATA
AVERAGE ANNUAL SUNSPOT NUMBERS
YEAR NUMBER OF YEAR NUMBER OF
SUNSPOTS SUNSPOTS
1943 16 1968 106
1944 10 1969 105
1945 31 1970 105
1946 93 1971 67
1947 151 1972 69
1948 136 1973 38
1949 135 1974 34
1950 84 1975 16
1951 69 1976 13
1952 30 1977 27
1953 13 1978 93
1954 4 1979 155
1955 38 1980 146
1956 141 1981 134
1957 176 1982 116
1958 183 1983 72
1959 158 1984 46
1960 112 1985 18
1961 54 1986 13
1962 38 1987 29
1963 28 1988 50
1964 10 1989 145
1965 15 1990 155
1966 47 1991 150
1967 94 1992 140

WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE FOR THIS LAB?

1. Using the data given, graph the number of sunspots in the
years from 1943 to 1992.
2. Be sure to completely label each graph axis.
4
WHAT IS A SUNSPOT?
 photographs of the sun show dark areas on its
surface which are called SUNSPOTS
 these spots are believed to be “solar storms” which
are areas of cooler gases
 the number and pattern of these spots change with
time
WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS LAB?
 you will see how graphing a natural phenomenon
can aid in predicting future events
WHAT IS AN EVENT?
 this is a general term that means any natural
phenomenon that can be seen and described such as a
sun spot or a comet or a solar eclipse
WHAT ARE FRAMES OF REFERENCE?
 in order to study or describe a change, you must
have some basis for comparison, or a frame of
reference
 the frames of reference of studying any and all
types of change in earth science are TIME and
LOCATION
 in this exercise, the location is the sun and the time
is from 1942 to 1993
WHAT IS THE TIME SCALE?
 the time scale is the period of time during which
observations of the phenomenon occur such as, in this
exercise, several years for sun spots
WHAT IS THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE?
 the independent variable is something that causes
or produces changes that can be observed in other
things; in this exercise, time is the independent
variable—NOTE—the independent variable is always
plotted on the x-axis
WHAT IS THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE?
Ù the dependent variable is the thing or phenomenon
that changes as a result of changes in the independent
variable; in this exercise, the number of sunspots is
the dependent variable—NOTE—the dependent
variable is always plotted on the y-axis
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF PREDICTABLE?
Ù a phenomenon that is predictable is something that
always occurs when certain events take place such as
a lunar eclipse when the moon passes into Earth’s
shadow
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF CYCLIC?
Ù a cyclic event occurs on a regular time schedule
such as the phases of the moon
WHAT IS EXTRAPOLATE?
 extrapolation is a mathematical operation in which
a person uses known information to predict a future
event
 in this exercise, you are going to predict the
number of sunspots that will occur the year that you
graduate
WHAT IS A SUNSPOT?
 photographs of the sun show dark areas on its surface which are called SUNSPOTS
 these spots are believed to be “solar storms” which are areas of cooler gases
 the number and pattern of these spots change with time
WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS LAB?
 you will see how graphing a natural phenomenon can aid in predicting future events
WHAT IS AN EVENT?
 this is a general term that means any natural phenomenon that can be seen and described such as
a sun spot or a comet or a solar eclipse
WHAT ARE FRAMES OF REFERENCE?
 in order to study or describe a change, you must have some basis for comparison, or a frame of
reference
 the frames of reference of studying any and all types of change in earth science are TIME and
LOCATION
 in this exercise, the location is the sun and the time is from 1942 to 1993

WHAT IS THE TIME SCALE?

 the time scale is the period of time during which observations of the phenomenon occur such as,
in this exercise, several years for sun spots
WHAT IS THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE?
 the independent variable is something that causes or produces changes that can be observed in
other things; in this exercise, time is the independent variable—NOTE—the independent variable is
always plotted on the x-axis
WHAT IS THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE?
Ù the dependent variable is the thing or phenomenon that changes as a result of changes in the
independent variable; in this exercise, the number of sunspots is the dependent variable—NOTE—
the dependent variable is always plotted on the y-axis
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF PREDICTABLE?
Ù a phenomenon that is predictable is something that always occurs when certain events take place
such as a lunar eclipse when the moon passes into Earth’s shadow

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF CYCLIC?

Ù a cyclic event occurs on a regular time schedule such as the phases of the moon
WHAT IS EXTRAPOLATE?
 extrapolation is a mathematical operation in which a person uses known information to predict a
future event
 in this exercise, you are going to predict the number of sunspots that will occur the year that you
graduate