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Magnetic Storm Answer as many of the following questions as you can while watching the movie. The answers to these questions including the essay question at the end will be due in the next class period. 1. Does the Earth have a magnetic field? 2. Is the magnetic field of the Earth getting weaker or stronger? 3. What are the conditions like at the core of the Earth? 4. Is it true that the Earth itself be considered a giant magnet? 5. Where is the Earth’s magnetic field created? 6. What is the stream of electrically charged particles coming from the Sun called? 7. How does the magnetic field protect us from this stream of charged particles? 8. What causes the northern lights? 9. Mars doesn’t currently have a magnetic field. Did it have one in the past? 10. Was it stronger or weaker in intensity than that of the Earth’s? 11. How long ago did Mars begin to lose its water and atmosphere? 12. What are some of the consequences if the magnetic field of the Earth disappeared? 13. Do the magnetites in raw clay all point in one direction or in different directions? 14. What happens to the magnetites after the pot is fired? 15. In the past 300 years, has the rate of decline of the magnetic field been decreasing or increasing? 16. What kind of motion of the liquid core gives rise to the electric field? 17. What causes the currents inside the liquid core? 18. Is the Earth’s core cooling? 19. What effect will the cooling of the core have on the Earth’s magnetic field? 20. What can volcanic lava tell us about the Earth’s magnetic field? 21. Today Earth’s magnetic field runs from south to north. Has it always been this way? 22. Has the Earth’s magnetic field reversed more than once? 23. Computer simulations have modeled the magnetic field reversal process. In these simulations, did the field reversal occur when the Earth’s magnetic field intensity was very strong or very weak? 24. Is it possible that at the current time a field reversal is impending? 25. Does a compass needle point to true north or magnetic north? 26. There is region of the core under the South Atlantic Ocean the magnetic currents have reversed direction. What might this be a sign of? 27. What is the average time between magnetic field polarity reversals? 28. What does the magnetic field data in the Oregon lava flow suggest will occur in the next several thousand years concerning the magnetic field? 29. What are some of the consequences of a diminishing magnetic field? Give at least three. 30. Write several paragraphs summing up what was discussed in this movie. Include a discussion on the following points: Do you think the scientific methods used to collect the data are valid? Do you think the conclusions drawn from the data analysis are reasonable? What do you think about this topic? |
You can pick up this assignment in Microsoft Word format here
You can get the transcript of the program here (useful for answering questions).
Additional Resources:
Magnetic Storm Program Web Site
Long Term Movement of the North Magnetic Pole
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