Differential rotation of the sun is
A) heating in the chromosphere and corona that makes them hotter than the photosphere.
B) the magnetic dynamo inside the sun.
C) the equatorial regions of the sun rotating more rapidly than the polar regions.
D) the origin (and subsequent disappearance of) sunspots first near the poles then closer to the sun's equator as the sunspot cycle progresses.
E) the rotation of the sun's southern and northern hemispheres in opposite directions.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Differential rotation refers to the fact that different parts of the sun rotate at different speeds. In particular, the equatorial regions rotate more rapidly than the polar regions. This is caused by the way that the sun's magnetic field affects its rotation, and is responsible for the formation of sunspots and other solar activity. It also partially explains why the sun's atmosphere is hotter than its surface.

Differential Rotation of the Sun Is