Final answer:
The solar wind is a constant stream of charged particles, mainly protons and electrons, emitted from the Sun's corona at high speeds, significantly influencing solar and space weather events.
Step-by-step explanation:
The constant stream of high-speed particles emitted from the Sun is known as the solar wind. These are mainly protons and electrons that flow outward into the solar system at tremendous speeds of about 400 kilometers per second. The solar wind is a result of the highly charged, frenetic activity within the Sun’s corona, where the plasma is so hot and moves so rapidly that solar gravity cannot contain it. This phenomenon was discovered through the observable effects it had on comet tails, which are visibly affected by these charged particles much like how wind affects wind socks. The solar wind plays a significant role in solar and space weather, and interactions with Earth's magnetic field can lead to power outages and other geomagnetic disturbances.