Solar Storm Energy And Pie Graphs (Page 2 of 2) in pdf

Solar Storm Energy And Pie Graphs Page 2

Answer Key

Problem 1 – What percentages of each of the four forms of energy are represented in

the right-hand chart?

Answer:

Radiation = 40%, CME = 30%, Gas heating = 20 % and Gravity = 10%

Problem 2 - What percentage of the original, stored magnetic energy is available for

flares?

Answer: The size of the purple sector is 40%

Problem 3 – What fraction of the original magnetic energy ends up as solar flare

radiation?

Answer: 40% of the original magnetic energy is available for a flare, and 40% of the

flare energy ends up as radiation, so the fraction of the original magnetic energy

involved is 0.40 x 0.40 = 0.16

Problem 4 – What fraction of the original magnetic energy ends up in CME ejection?

Answer: 40% of the original magnetic energy is available for a flare, and 30% of the

flare energy ends up as CME (kinetic) energy, so the fraction of the original magnetic

energy involved is 0.40 x 0.30 = 0.12

Problem 5 – A typical large flare has enough total energy to meet the power demands

of human civilization for 10,000 years. How many years would be equivalent to A)

causing the flare to shine and B) ejecting a CME?

Answer: A) 40% of the flare energy ends up as radiation so this is equivalent to 0.40

x 10,000 years = 4,000 years of human energy consumption.

B) 30% of the flare energy is available for CME kinetic energy, so this equals

an equivalent of 0.30 x 10,000 years = 3,000 years of human energy consumption.

Space Math

Solar Storm Energy And Pie Graphs Page 2