Question

How often does the sun's magnetic field reverse? question 4 options:

a) every 11 years
b) every 100,000 years
c) every two million years
d) every 350 days

Answer 1

The Sun's magnetic field reverses every 11 years, which corresponds to the solar cycle of sunspots. For a complete cycle where the polarity returns to its original state, it would be after two such cycles or roughly 22 years.

Step-by-step explanation:

The magnetic field of the Sun reverses approximately every 11 years. This flip coincides with the solar cycle of sunspots, where the polarity of the leading sunspots reverses in each hemisphere.

Therefore, a full cycle, including the reversal of magnetic fields, takes about 22 years. Answering the student's question, option a) every 11 years, is the correct frequency within a single hemisphere. However, for a complete magnetic cycle where the polarity returns to its original state, it would be after two 11-year cycles, which makes it roughly 22 years.

It's important to note the difference between the Earth's and the Sun's magnetic fields. While the Earth's magnetic field flips direction about once every 200,000 years, the Sun's magnetic reversals are much more frequent due to different processes occurring in the solar interior.