3.2 Magnetism - The Sun and Earth Extension 3

​Magnetic Fields on Earth and Space

Magnetic Field: Definition

The region around the magnet where magnetic materials experience a force

(feels pulled towards the magnet)

Seeing magnetic field patterns with iron fillings

• Iron fillings are very small pieces of iron that become magnetised when they are in a magnetic field

• When magnet is brought around iron fillings, they will line up at every point where they feel the force from the magnet

• Because there are so many of them, they line up until we can see the shape of the magnetic field.

The Earth's magnetic field

The magnetic field of the Earth looks similar to that of a bar magnet

The compass needle point to the North, which is actually the magnetic south pole of the Earth

Multiple Choice

What is the shape of a magnetic field around the Earth?

The Strength of Earth’s Magnetic Field

Our magnetic field is decreasing by 5% a century Jupiter has a super-strong magnetic field What would happen if our magnetic field was much stronger? 

Draw and Label this

Solar Wind and Earth’s Magnetic Field

Earth’s magnetic field protects us from the solar wind by deflecting these particles and trapping them in two huge rings (Van Allen belts).

What protects us from the deadly solar wind?

Solar Wind and Earth’s Magnetic Field

Solar wind is a supersonic plasma (Remember, that’s charged particles or ions) that flows outward from Sun at high speeds & bathes planets in a flood of high-energy particles. (Which isn’t very good for us!)

Solar Wind and Earth’s Magnetic Field

The auroras are created when 

high-energy particles in Van Allen belts collide with gases in Earth’s atmosphere & give off light

It’s Not Always Sunny on the Sun

Weather Isn’t Just for Planets!

The sun, like any star, is a huge ball of electrically-charged
hot gas –– and this gas doesn’t stay still. It moves!

As the sun’s gases move
around, they generate a
magnetic field.

Think of a magnetic field as an invisible force field that surrounds a magnet, represented by the arrows in this image. The lines always go from one end of the magnet to the other.

Magnetic Fields

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The ​

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is a huge ball of electrically-charged

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that ​

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.

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The ​

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this diagram show(s) ​

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magnetic field.

When weather is calm on the sun, it’s called a
season of low activity, or solar minimum.

.

When things heat up, it’s called a season of high activity, or solar maximum.

Solar Minimum & Maximum

Watch this video to see the seasonal differences.

What the Flip?

Check out the model in this video to see how the
transformation works. The pink lines represent magnetic
waves from the sun’s north pole and the green are from
the south pole.

During each solar cycle, the sun’s magnetic field “flips.” In other words, its north-south lines trade places with the
south-north ones.

Multiple Choice

What is the SOLAR CYCLE?

• A cycle where the sun’s magnetic field changes.

• A setting on solar-powered washing machines or dishwashers.

• A setting in a weather tracking app.

• A cycle where Alpha Centauri and Proxima Centauri trade places.

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When the sun cycles into a season of ​

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it's got a lot going on. During seasons of ​​solar minimums, the sun​

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.

As the sun’s magnetic fields tangle up, they cause sunspots.

Sunspots

Sunspots are areas of the sun where electromagnetic activity is super intense. This video shows how sunspots form.

When the sunspots’
magnetic fields get super twisted up, they release a huge burst of energy in the form of electromagnetic
waves called radiation.

Solar Flares

These big explosions on the sun are called solar flares.
Watch the video to see how they work.

When the Sun Goes Boom!

Multiple Select

Sunspots are .... (choose 2)

• A sign of iron deficiency in the sun.

• Spots on the sun where electromagnetic activity is super intense.

• Areas on the sun where solar flares burst out.

• Similar to the Big Dipper but in the Yucatan.

Solar Wind

Not all solar weather is as explosive or destructive as solar flares, which only occur during the solar maximum. 

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The sun also emits a continuous stream of charged particles that drift through the solar system throughout the solar cycle.

The constant movement of these particles through space is called the solar wind.

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Solar wind blows ​

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​ the solar cycle. ​

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are the stuff solar wind blows through the solar system. When this stuff reaches Earth, our planet's atmosphere sends it to ​

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​ where it turns into ​

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.

Multiple Choice

What is gigantic explosion that causes the death of a massive star?

• Supernova

• Nebula

• Red Giant

• White Dwarf

Magnetic fields

• One of the strongest in the universe

• trillions of time stronger than Earth's

• Neutron stars with very strong magnetic fields are called magnetars

• Have strong magnetic fields because of powerful electric currents

• Dipolar structure, similar to Earth's

• Magnetic fields can fade over time

Density

• Very high density

• a single teaspoon can weigh up to billion of tons; 10^17 to 10^18 kilos per cubic meter

• Very dense because tightly pack neutrons

• One of the densest things in the universe, surpassed only by black holes

What is a Galaxy?

A huge collection of:

- Gas

- Space Dust

- Millions to trillions of stars and any planets surrounding them

- "Rogue Planets"

Galactic Info

• Galaxies spin, similar to the objects in our solar system

• We don't know how many there are.

• Current estimates are at more than 2 trillion

No one knows for sure just how big the universe is, but scientists have taken pictures of objects that are nearly 14 billion light years away. That means the universe reaches at least that far in all directions, and maybe farther.

Reorder

Reorder the following in term of smallest (1) to biggest (4)

• Planet

• Galaxy

• Solar System

• Universe

1

2

3

4

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

Match

Match the term with its definition

• All of space and the matter and objects within it

• A measurement equal to the distance that light travels in a year

• A giant ball of burning gases that gives off light

• A very loose mass of cosmic dust and gases

• System of stars, dust, and gas held together by gravity

Nebula

Galaxy

Universe

Star

Light year

• Nebula

• Galaxy

• Universe

• Star

• Light year