In the Arctic skies, a spectacle of nature unfolds with auroras - the Northern Lights, casting an ethereal glow over the snowy landscape. But how does this vibrant dance of colors occur? The story begins 93 million miles away, on the Sun. Charged particles from the Sun's surface are hurled into space, creating solar wind. This wind reaches Earth, and something magical happens. Our planet's magnetic field serves as a shield, deflecting most particles. However, those that seep in towards the poles interact with our atmosphere, creating a light show. The particles collide with oxygen and nitrogen, exciting them. What follows is a release of light as they return to their normal state - the glow we see as the Northern Lights. The varying colors, from green to pink and purple, depend on the type of gas and the altitude at which the collision occurs. But to many indigenous cultures, these lights are more than a scientific phenomenon. They are a source of myth and legend. The Inuit people, for instance, believe that the lights are spirits of their ancestors, playing a game of football with a walrus skull. Others see them as pathways to the afterlife. The Northern Lights are thus a marvel of both science and imagination. They represent the cosmos’s power and our human need to make sense of the natural world, highlighting a fascinating intersection of science and mythology.
Question 1
What triggers the occurrence of the Northern Lights?
A
The collision of solar wind particles with Earth's atmosphere
Explanation. The Northern Lights are caused by the interaction of solar wind particles with Earth's atmosphere at the poles. These particles originate from the Sun's surface and create a light show when they collide with oxygen and nitrogen in our atmosphere.
B
The reflection of sunlight on the Arctic ice
C
The illumination of the Arctic by the moon
D
The glow emitted by animals in the Arctic
E
The reflection of city lights on the Arctic clouds
Question 2
What does the Inuit people's interpretation of the Northern Lights represent?
A
The celebration of a successful hunt
B
The spirits of their ancestors playing football with a walrus skull
Explanation. To the Inuit people, the Northern Lights are believed to be the spirits of their ancestors engaging in a game of football with a walrus skull.
C
The arrival of a new season
D
A warning of an impending natural disaster
Question 3
What does the color variation of the Northern Lights depend on?
B
The temperature in the Arctic
D
The type of gas and the altitude at which the collision occurs
Explanation. The varying colors of the Northern Lights, from green to pink and purple, depend on the type of gas (oxygen or nitrogen) and the altitude at which the solar wind particles collide with the atmosphere.
E
The position of the stars
Question 4
What does the term 'solar wind' refer to in the text?
A
The wind blowing in the Arctic region
B
The breeze created by the movement of the Sun
C
The gust of air felt during a solar eclipse
D
The charged particles hurled into space from the Sun's surface
Explanation. In the context of the text, 'solar wind' refers to the stream of charged particles that are expelled from the surface of the Sun into space.
E
The atmospheric pressure created by the Sun's heat
Question 5
True or false: The Northern Lights are only a scientific phenomenon.
B
False
Explanation. While the Northern Lights are a scientific phenomenon resulting from the interaction of solar wind particles with Earth's atmosphere, they are also seen as a source of myth and legend by many indigenous cultures.
D
Sometimes true, sometimes false
E
Dependent on observer's perspective