Science, Chapter 2,Section 1: Energy in the Atmosphere Flashcards
What are electromagnetic waves
Energy that travels from the sun to the Earth.
What is radiation?
The direct transfer of energy through electromagnetic waves
How does most of the energy from the sun reach the Earth?
Visible light and infrared radiation and a little bit as ultraviolet radiation
What is visible light?
Mix of all the colors you can see in the rainbow. The different colors are due to their different wavelengths of visible light
Which colors have the longest wavelength of light
red and orange
Which colors have the shortest wavelength of light
blue and violet
What is infrared radiation
A form of energy with wavelengths longer than red light. It is felt as heat. You cannot see it.
What is ultraviolet radiation
A form of energy with wavelengths shorter than violet light. It can cause sunburns and skin cancer
What part of the stratosphere absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation
The ozone layer. Clouds, dust and gases also absorb some of the energy
What reflects some of the sun’s rays
Clouds in the atmosphere. Also dust particles and molecules of gas
What is scattering
Reflection of light in all directions
When the Earth’s surface is heated, it radiates some of the energy back into the atmosphere as what?
Infrared radiation
What is the Greenhouse Effect
The process by which gases hold heat in the air that keeps the Earth’s atmosphere temperature a comfortable level. This lets people live and plants grow.
Why is the sky blue?
there is more scattered light with shorter wavelengths of visible light
Why are sunsets red?
the sun passes through thicker atmosphere and less of the light is scattered
