How does the rotational behavior of the Sun fundamentally differ from that of a solid ball like Earth?
Answer
The Sun exhibits differential rotation based on latitude, whereas Earth rotates rigidly.
The fundamental difference lies in the internal structure and resulting motion. Earth behaves like a solid object, rotating uniformly so that every point on its surface completes a rotation in the same period relative to its center. The Sun, being a massive ball of incandescent gas held together by gravity, displays differential rotation. This means that rotational speed is dependent upon latitude; the fastest rotation is measured at the equator (around 25 days synodic period), and the rotation gradually slows down toward the poles (approaching 35 days synodic period). This variation proves the Sun is not a rigid body.
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