Vocabulary
What is solar wind?
The continuous flow of charged particles from the sun
What is the order of colors on the electromagnetic spectrum?
red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple
What surrounds the Earth that plays a role in the creation of aurora borealis?
A magnetic field
What are charged particles?
A particle with an electric charge.
How much of the sun's radiation reaches the Earth in the form of visible light?
42%
Why is the sun important in the creation of an aurora borealis?
The sun releases the solar wind or charged particles that create auroras.
What is a photon?
Photons are particles that transmit light.
What is a wavelength
The distance between successive crests of a wave, especially points in a sound wave or electromagnetic wave.
What happens when the sun is more active than normal?
The auroras are larger and more brilliant.
What is Aurora Borealis?
A natural phenomenon characterized by the appearance of streamers of reddish or greenish light in the sky, usually near the northern or southern magnetic pole.
What causes the colors to change in an aurora borealis?
Charged particles colliding with different types of gas or air particles.
Why does aurora borealis occur in the north and south poles?
Because the poles of the Earth act like the poles of a magnet. The solar wind enters the Earth's atmosphere at the poles.