Which of these should you check for the activity of if the skies are clear but the power to your house goes out? (1 point)
A. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs)
B. Solar energetic particles
C. Solar wind
D. Solar flares
Which prediction is most likely to happen due to solar energetic particles during a solar radiation storm? (1 point)
A. Radio navigation and GPS systems will be inaccurate.
B. Satellites will need to be repositioned due to satellite drag.
C. Radio communications at high latitudes will be blocked.
D. Power will go out in cities across the world.
Which would scientists predict might happen due to solar flares? (1 point)
A. Power grid operations will go offline.
B. Electrical systems in satellites will fail.
C. Radio navigation systems and global positioning systems will be inaccurate.
D. High-frequency radio waves used for radio communication will be blocked.
If the skies are clear but the power to your house goes out, you should check for the activity of solar flares.
To determine which of these options you should check for if the skies are clear but the power to your house goes out, you need to understand the potential causes of a power outage. Let's go through each option to determine the most relevant one:
A. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs): CMEs are large eruptions of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun's corona. If a CME is directed towards Earth and reaches our planet, it can cause disturbances in the Earth's magnetosphere, potentially leading to power outages. However, the fact that the skies are clear suggests that a CME is less likely to be the cause of the power outage.
B. Solar energetic particles: These are high-energy charged particles emitted by the Sun, usually during solar flares or CMEs. Similar to CMEs, solar energetic particles can affect satellites and power grids, potentially causing disruptions. However, since the skies are clear, it is less likely that solar energetic particles are causing the power outage.
C. Solar wind: The solar wind is a stream of charged particles constantly emitted by the Sun. Although the solar wind can affect Earth's magnetosphere, it is not usually the primary cause of power outages.
D. Solar flares: Solar flares are intense bursts of radiation from the Sun's surface. They can release a large amount of energy and emit electromagnetic radiation, including X-rays and radio waves. If a strong solar flare impacts Earth, it can disrupt power grids and cause blackouts. Solar flares are dependent on solar activity and can occur even on clear skies.
Considering the given options and the clear skies, the most likely cause of a power outage in this scenario would be D. Solar flares. To confirm whether a solar flare could be responsible for the power outage, you can check space weather forecasts from organizations such as NASA or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These forecasts provide information on solar activity and indicate if a solar flare has occurred recently or is expected to occur in the future.
D. Solar flares
A. Radio navigation and GPS systems will be inaccurate.
All of the options mentioned can occur due to solar flares, but if we consider the term "might happen" and the question as a prediction, the most likely prediction due to solar flares would be:
B. Electrical systems in satellites will fail.