NEET BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The magnetosphere is a strong magnetic field that surrounds our planet. Acting as a shield, it deflects most solar energetic particle radiation that emanates from the Sun.

Detailed explanation-2: -When the solar wind encounters Earth, it is deflected by our planet’s magnetic shield, causing most of the solar wind’s energetic particles to flow around and beyond us. This region that meets and blocks the solar wind is called the magnetosphere.

Detailed explanation-3: -Our magnetosphere plays the role of gatekeeper, repelling this unwanted energy that’s harmful to life on Earth, trapping most of it a safe distance from Earth’s surface in twin doughnut-shaped zones called the Van Allen Belts.

Detailed explanation-4: -We know much about the solar wind at the orbit of the Earth. It flows with a speed of about 400 km s"1 and has a density of about 5 electrons and ions cm"3. It carries a magnetic field of about 5 nT, lies on average near the ecliptic plane in an Archimedean spiral pattern, but is highly variable about this direction.

Detailed explanation-5: -Most of the particles that form the belts are thought to come from solar wind and other particles by cosmic rays. By trapping the solar wind, the magnetic field deflects those energetic particles and protects the atmosphere from destruction.