Question

The normal movement of electric charges among the Earth's surface, the various layers of the atmosphere, and especially the ionosphere, taken together, are known as :

• A. the global atmospheric electrical circuit
• B. a current conducting circuit
• C. charge cloud
• D. none of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is A the global atmospheric electrical circuit

Atmospheric electricity is the pattern of electrical charges in the earth's atmosphere. The normal movement of electric charges among the earth's surface, the various layers of the atmosphere, and especially the ionosphere, taken together, are known as the global atmospheric electrical circuit.
Much of the reasoning required to explain these currents lies within the field of electrostatics, but also requires understanding of other disciplines within Earth science.