Which of the following terms refers to areas of gas on the sun’s surface that are cooler than the gases around them.

a.) Prominences
b.) sunspots
c.) coolspots
d.) solar winds **

what is the answer

absolutely not

The correct term that refers to areas of gas on the sun's surface that are cooler than the gases around them is "b.) sunspots".

To arrive at this answer, you can break down the given options and eliminate the ones that do not fit the description. Let's analyze each option:

a.) Prominences: Prominences are huge, bright, glowing features that extend outwards from the sun's surface. They are made up of hot, ionized gas and are typically seen as loops or arcs. Prominences are not areas of gas on the sun's surface that are cooler than the gases around them, so we can eliminate this option.

b.) Sunspots: Sunspots are dark, relatively cooler regions on the sun's surface that appear as dark spots compared to the surrounding areas. They are cooler due to intense magnetic activity and have temperatures lower than the surrounding gases. Therefore, sunspots fit the description provided in the question and are the correct answer.

c.) Coolspots: This term is not commonly used to describe any specific feature or phenomenon on the sun. It is not a recognized scientific term related to solar activities, so we can eliminate this option.

d.) Solar winds: Solar winds refer to the constant flow of charged particles (mainly electrons and protons) from the sun's outermost layer, known as the corona. Solar winds are not related to areas of gas on the sun's surface that are cooler than the gases around them, so we can eliminate this option.

By analyzing each of the given options, we can determine that "b.) sunspots" is the correct term that refers to areas of gas on the sun's surface that are cooler than the gases around them.