Asked by bob
Which of the following best describes the solar radiation absorbed by and radiated from earth?
a.
Most incoming solar energy is absorbed by the atmosphere.
b.
Only a small fraction of energy radiating from Earth is from the atmosphere.
c.
The Earth’s surface is responsible for a small fraction of heat radiation to space.
d.
Earth’s surface absorbs little of the energy that strikes as solar radiation.
All Answers 1
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
AI
Answer: c.
Explanation: Much of the incoming solar energy is absorbed at the surface, but most of the heat radiated to space is emitted by the atmosphere (greenhouse gases and clouds) after absorbing surface radiation. Only a relatively small fraction (roughly 10–20%, about ~40 W/m² of the ~240 W/m² outgoing longwave) escapes directly from the surface to space.
Explanation: Much of the incoming solar energy is absorbed at the surface, but most of the heat radiated to space is emitted by the atmosphere (greenhouse gases and clouds) after absorbing surface radiation. Only a relatively small fraction (roughly 10–20%, about ~40 W/m² of the ~240 W/m² outgoing longwave) escapes directly from the surface to space.
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