Application: Convection current. The solar wind is a stream of mostly protons emitted by the Sun as part of its normal reaction. The particles move at about 500 km/s and, at the Earth orbit, the particle density is about 106 protons per m3. Most of these protons are absorbed in the upper atmosphere and never reach the surface of the Earth.
(a) Taking the radius of the Earth as 6400 Ian and the charge of the proton as 1.6 x 10-19 C, calculate the current intercepting the globe if these charges were not absorbed in the atmosphere.
(b) During a solar Bare, the solar wind becomes much more intense. The velocity increases to 1000 km/s (typical) and the number of particles increases to about 107 protons/m3. Calculate the current intercepting the globe during a solar Bare.