Author Question: The sunspot cycle is sometimes described as lasting 11 years, but others prefer to consider it as 22 ... (Read 37 times)

jessicacav · **on:** Jul 27, 2018

The sunspot cycle is sometimes described as lasting 11 years, but others prefer to consider it as 22 years; explain the rationale.

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Which side of the Moon has the thicker crust? Why?

What will be an ideal response?

welcom1000 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 27, 2018

Answer to Question 1

The numbers of sunspots come to a peak about every 11 years, but with the beginning of the next cycle, the polarities of the spot pairs reverse, so it takes 22 years to go through the magnetic polarity cycle.

Answer to Question 2

The far side, because our tides pulled the molten core toward us, making the Earth-side crust thinner.