10 questions · Form 3 Science Bab 9: Space Weather
10 questions · plays in fullscreen
Prefer reading to quizzing? All 10 questions are listed below with the answer and explanation under each one.
1. Which solar phenomenon involves massive loops of glowing plasma held in place by magnetic field lines above the photosphere?
Answer: A
Solar prominences are huge, arched loops of dense glowing plasma anchored in the photosphere and extending into the corona.
2. What is the name given to auroras occurring specifically around the Southern magnetic pole?
Answer: B
Aurora Australis refers to southern light displays, while Aurora Borealis occurs near the Northern magnetic pole.
3. Which human technology infrastructure on ground is most vulnerable to damage from severe geomagnetic storms?
Answer: A
Geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) flow into power lines and can overload, damage, or burn out high-voltage transformers.
4. How can strong solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) affect artificial satellites orbiting Earth?
Answer: B
Intense solar radiation expands Earth's upper atmosphere, increasing orbital drag while high-energy particles disrupt sensitive satellite electronics.
5. What is the primary heat generation process operating at the core of the Sun?
Answer: B
The Sun's core generates massive energy via nuclear fusion, fusing hydrogen nuclei into helium under extreme pressure and heat.
6. Which chemical elements make up the vast majority of the Sun's mass?
Answer: B
The Sun consists of roughly 73% hydrogen and 25% helium, with trace amounts of heavier elements.
7. Which high-energy explosion on the Sun emits sudden bursts of radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum (including X-rays and gamma rays)?
Answer: A
Solar flares are intense, violent bursts of electromagnetic radiation released when magnetic energy stored near sunspots is suddenly unleashed.
8. Approximately how long is one complete cycle of sunspot activity (solar cycle)?
Answer: B
Sunspot activity peaks and declines in a regular cycle lasting approximately 11 years.
9. What phenomenon occurs when huge clouds of magnetized plasma are thrown off the Sun's atmosphere into space at high velocities?
Answer: A
Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) release billions of tons of coronal material containing magnetic fields outward at high speeds.
10. Which solar atmospheric layer is only fully visible to the naked eye during a total solar eclipse?
Answer: B
The outer corona is fainter than the bright photosphere, making it visible only when the moon completely blocks the photosphere during a total solar eclipse.