Electrically charged particles from space travelling at speeds of several hundred km/sec can severely harm living beings if they reach the surface of the Earth. What prevents them from reaching the surface of the Earth ?

The Earth is protected from high-speed electrically charged particles, primarily from the solar wind and cosmic rays, by its magnetosphere [3]. These particles travel at speeds of several hundred kilometers per second and could severely harm life or strip away the atmosphere if they reached the surface [1]. The Earth's magnetic field acts as a protective shield, deflecting and pushing these harmful particles away [3]. Specifically, the charged particles follow the magnetic field lines, which are oriented toward the planet's atmosphere near the magnetic poles [2]. This diversion toward the poles prevents the particles from directly impacting the majority of the Earth's surface, often resulting in the luminous phenomenon known as aurorae when they collide with atoms in the upper atmosphere [5]. While the ozone layer protects against ultraviolet radiation, it does not reflect charged particles [4].

Sources

1. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 5: Earths Magnetic Field (Geomagnetic Field) > 5.1. Magnetosphere > p. 65
2. [3] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 13: Our Home: Earth, a Unique Life Sustaining Planet > 13.3.3 Magnetic field of the Earth > p. 217
3. [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 5: Earths Magnetic Field (Geomagnetic Field) > 5.2. Magnetosphere and Solar Wind > p. 68
4. [5] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 5: Earths Magnetic Field (Geomagnetic Field) > Auroras > p. 66
5. [4] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: Composition and Structure of Atmosphere > STRUCTURE OF THE ATMOSPHERE > p. 65