How is the temperature of the Earth affected by factors controlling the balance between incoming radiation and radiation emitted...?
4 answers
Why science confuses me..
Okay, so this answer kind of relates to global warming.
Firstly, you should know that the sun releases a lot of heat, and harmful Ultraviolet (UV) rays. This is the 'incoming radiation' in your question. The factors that control it are the amount of ozone in our atmosphere. The layer of ozone high up protects the earth from these UV rays.
Now, the heat that does manage to reach the Earth is either absorbed by the Earth, or reflected back. When it is absorbed, it heats up the Earth's lower atmosphere. The heat that is reflected back is the 'radiation emitted'.
The radiation emitted can do one of two things: It can escape the Earth's atmosphere and bounce back into space, for one. Alternatively, the greenhouse gases (such as CO2) in the atmosphere grab onto this radiation and keep it in our atmosphere. The second one causes temperatures to rise on the surface, and is a major cause of global warming.
So in a simpler manner, the radiation emitted when absorbed by the Earth, heats it up. It can also bounce back from the Earth. When it does this, it becomes the radiation emitted, and this radiation when stored by our greenhouse gases, also increases the temperature.
Firstly, you should know that the sun releases a lot of heat, and harmful Ultraviolet (UV) rays. This is the 'incoming radiation' in your question. The factors that control it are the amount of ozone in our atmosphere. The layer of ozone high up protects the earth from these UV rays.
Now, the heat that does manage to reach the Earth is either absorbed by the Earth, or reflected back. When it is absorbed, it heats up the Earth's lower atmosphere. The heat that is reflected back is the 'radiation emitted'.
The radiation emitted can do one of two things: It can escape the Earth's atmosphere and bounce back into space, for one. Alternatively, the greenhouse gases (such as CO2) in the atmosphere grab onto this radiation and keep it in our atmosphere. The second one causes temperatures to rise on the surface, and is a major cause of global warming.
So in a simpler manner, the radiation emitted when absorbed by the Earth, heats it up. It can also bounce back from the Earth. When it does this, it becomes the radiation emitted, and this radiation when stored by our greenhouse gases, also increases the temperature.
I hope you're not as confused now :)
Thank you I understand more now
1 answer