Solar wind

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/solar-wind

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary constituents?Electrons, protons, and alpha particles, with trace heavier ions
2. What is the source region?The Sun's corona, driven by high temperatures and magnetic activity
3. Why does the solar wind come from the Sun?The Sun’s corona is very hot, giving the particles enough energy to escape the Sun’s gravity and move away into space.
4. How fast does the solar wind travel?Near the Sun, the solar wind moves between about 250 and 750 kilometers per second, and it keeps going until it slows down at the termination shock.

Plasma: An ionized gas consisting of charged particles and magnetic fields, forming the solar wind.
Alfvén Surface: The critical boundary where the solar wind's bulk flow speed exceeds the local Alfvén speed, enabling escape from solar gravity.
Heliosphere: The vast bubble of plasma and magnetic fields created by the solar wind, extending far beyond the planets.