Climate pt. 1

Question 1

How is earth warmed?

Answer 1

INCOMING UV, visible and infrared energy from the sun drives Earth’s climate

Question 2

What is Earth’s energy ‘budget’?

Answer 2

the ratio of incoming and outgoing radiation

Question 3

In Earth’s energy budget what is incoming?

Answer 3

visible light, infrared radiation, UV light

Question 4

In Earth’s energy budget what is outgoing?

Answer 4

reflected light, radiated heat

Question 5

What can happen to solar radiation (light)?

Answer 5

-some is reflected back to outer space by gasses as light
-some is reflected back to outer space by Earth’s surface
-some is absorbed by gasses as heat
-some is absorbed as heat by Earth’s surface

Question 6

What can happen to heat?

Answer 6

-re-radiate as heat, some of which escapes the gasses in our atmosphere and goes into outer space
-MOST re-radiate solar radiation is re-absorbed (as heat) by Earth’s surface

Question 7

Greenhouse gasses?

Answer 7

molecules in Earth’s atmosphere that absorb and re-emit infrared radiation

Question 8

3 factors that affect solar radiation received at different latitudes:

Answer 8

1) distance sunlight must travel through the atmosphere (shorter distance, not as much reflected by atmosphere…so less solar energy is lost)
2) angle at which sunlight hits the earth (solar energy is spread over smaller area at equator)
3) reflectivity of the earth’s surface (low albedo of dark forests at equator absorb more solar energy than ice at poles)

Question 9

LOOK AT GRAPH TO DRAW IN THESE SLIDES

Answer 9

LOOK AT GRAPH TO DRAW IN THESE SLIDES