Lara used the model of a cannon to demonstrate two different types of eruptions on the sun. She wrote the following observations when a cannonball was fired.

Question

A bright light was seen at the open end of the cannon.
The cannonball traveled at high speed.

Which statement about the eruptions on the sun represented by Lara's observations is correct
Observation 1 represents a CME because it creates auroras, which light up the sky near the poles.
Observation 1 represents a solar prominence because they are a loop of light
Observation 2 represents a CME because magnetized particles are hurled into space at high speed during a CME.
Observation 2 represents a solar flare because high speed plasma traveling from the sun towards Earth causes the solar flare.

Answer 1

To analyze Lara's observations and match them to the correct types of solar eruptions, let's break down the statements:

1. Observation 1 (a bright light was seen at the open end of the cannon):

   • This could represent a solar flare rather than a CME or solar prominence. A solar flare occurs when there is a sudden release of energy resulting in bright light, which matches the bright light observed in the cannon.

2. Observation 2 (the cannonball traveled at high speed):

   • This observation aligns with a coronal mass ejection (CME), as CMEs involve the expulsion of large quantities of magnetized plasma from the sun at high speeds.

Given this analysis, the correct statement is:

Observation 2 represents a CME because magnetized particles are hurled into space at high speed during a CME.

This correctly matches the high-speed component of the cannonball's travel to the characteristics of a CME.