Carbon- a habitable greenhouse (Week 1)

Question 1

what sets the temperature of a habitable planet

Answer 1

• the sun

Question 2

What are 2 modes of heat transfer

Answer 2

• conduction, where atoms can bounce of of one another if they are in contact
• radiation, where heat can be transferred through space by electromagnetic radiation

Question 3

What is blackbody radiation

Answer 3

• chunk of matter that can absorb and emitt energy across ALL WAVELENGTHS
• most liquids and solids
• not gases

Question 4

what is weins law

Answer 4

• wavelength max
  =2897/T
  (peak of emission spectra)

Question 5

what is the stefan-Boltzman equation

Answer 5

P/A
= constant. T4
(total power output in temp)

Question 6

How much solar energy does earth take in

Answer 6

• albedo (a)= fraction of reflected incoming energy that goes back to space
  =0.3 (30%)

Question 7

what is the calculation of temperature if we know energy output

Answer 7

• P/A/ constant
  power to 1/4

Question 8

In the calculations, what would we expect the earths temperature to be

Answer 8

-19
- average is actually 15 due to greenhouse effect

Question 9

how does the atmosphere emit radiation

Answer 9

equally upward and downward

Question 10

how do greenhouse gases interact with light

Answer 10

• interact only at certain wavelengths
• absorb outgoing infrared
• need an asymmetric molecule for interaction
• mostly interact throught rotation and vibration

Question 11

what are areas not absorbed by greenhouse gases called

Answer 11

• atmospheric windows