If Earth absorbed all of the radiation from the sun, what would happen to Earth?

Answer 1

If Earth were to absorb all the radiation from the sun without reflecting any of it, the consequences would be severe and catastrophic.

1. Temperature Increase: The most immediate effect would be a dramatic increase in Earth's surface temperature. The Earth currently reflects about 30% of incoming solar radiation (this is known as the Earth's albedo). Without this reflection, the energy absorbed would cause surface temperatures to rise significantly. This could lead to conditions similar to those of Venus, where extreme greenhouse effects result in surface temperatures hot enough to melt lead.

2. Destruction of Ecosystems: As temperatures soared, ecosystems would collapse. Many species of plants and animals are adapted to specific temperature ranges; anything outside of these ranges would likely lead to mass extinctions. The oceans could heat up dramatically, leading to the destruction of marine life, coral reefs, and disrupting the entire food chain.

3. Atmospheric Changes: The atmosphere would undergo significant transformations. Higher temperatures could lead to increased evaporation of water, which would intensify weather patterns and likely increase extreme weather events, making the climate highly unstable.

4. Water Cycle Disruption: With warmer temperatures and more evaporation, the water cycle would be heavily altered. Increased evaporation could initially lead to more rainfall, but as temperatures keep rising, eventually a significant portion of Earth's water could evaporate into space, further exacerbating the problem.

5. Loss of Surface Water: Prolonged high temperatures could cause vast amounts of water to evaporate, drastically reducing the amount of freshwater available for drinking and irrigation, leading to drought and famine.

6. Habitat for Humans: Human life would become unsustainable. The extreme heat, food and water shortages, and widespread extinction of other species would lead to a breakdown of society as we know it.

In summary, if Earth absorbed all the solar radiation without any reflection, it would likely become a hostile environment, devoid of life as we know it, akin to the extreme conditions on planets like Venus.