The Role of the Magnetic Field of Earth

Another important characteristics of the Earth is its magnetic fields, which shield us from the bombardment of the high-energy charged particles, mostly from the Sun.

• Without magnetic field, the high energy particles of solar wind can strip much of the Earth's atmosphere by breaking the bonds between the atoms in the air molecules

– N₂ → N + N

– O₂ → O + O

– H₂O → H + H + O

• The lighter gases then higher probability of acquiring velocity higher than escape velocity and escape from Earth!

Runaway Greenhouse Effect

If we were to move the Earth closer to the Sun, like where Venus is now, then we would suffer runaway greenhouse effect, lose all the water and will become hot like Venus.

Global Warming

There is a gradual increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere in the last 100 years…It has risen about 1°C since 1900… Are human activities causing global warming? What other (non-human) factors can cause global warming? How does global warming affect our life?