Lec 3: energy and the atmosphere

Question 1

What “structure” prevents a direct flow of energy from the sun to earth?

Answer 1

The atmopshere

Question 2

What are the 4 layers of our atmosphere

Answer 2

(from earth to outwards)
1. Troposphere
2. Stratosphere
3. mesosphere
4. Thermosphere

Question 3

Which layer is most important for heat transfer

Answer 3

Troposhere (the closest one)

Question 4

What is scattering ?

Answer 4

scattering is when light is deflected and scattered all around when it enters the atmosphere and collides with air, dust and cloud particles

Question 5

Why does the sky look blue?

Answer 5

The sky is blue because short wavelengths (blue light) are the most easily scattered during scattering of solar light

Question 6

What happens to the colours we see during sunrise and sunset? Why does the sky change colours?

Answer 6

• the angle of the sun means that solar light travels more through the atmosphere than at midday:
  
  • more interference → more scattering
  • now, longer wavelengths of light will scatter as well
    
    • why sunsets and sunrises appear red (red visible light has the longest wavelengths

Question 7

What is the difference between scattering and reflection

Answer 7

Scattering is much more random, where as reflection is precise! (back where the energy source came from)

Question 8

What is albedo?

Answer 8

It is the mesure of reflection of a surface
black absorbs more heat = low albedo
white reflects more heat = high albedo

Question 9

what are the 3 components of our system that absorbs solar radiation?

Answer 9

1. Terrestrial surface (land and water)
2. clouds
3. atmosphere (ozone, dust, water vapor)

Question 10

what is a selective absorber?

Answer 10

objects which are better at absorbing some wavelengths over others

Question 11

How does conduction work in the global energy budget?

Answer 11

Energy moves directly from the molecules off the ground to the molecules in the air touching the ground

Question 12

How does convection work in the global energy budget?

Answer 12

energy moves through warming air in the atmosphere

Question 13

What is Latent Heat Transfer?

Answer 13

the energy taken in and released by water as it transitions through different states of matter

Question 14

how does the earth remain at a constant temperature?

Answer 14

the energy gained and lost through shortwave and longwave radiations is balanced