Sun as the Main Source of Energy Flashcards
The Sun is the Earth’s _____ ___ ___ ______.
MAIN SOURCE OF ENERGY
The Sun powers many of the???
processes on the planet.
The process that involves the capture and use of the sun’s energy to create biological compounds is called?
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
During photosynthesis, when the sun shines, the plants capture _____ and obtain ____ _____ from the atmosphere and ______ in the soil.
SUNLIGHT
CARBON DIOXIDE
WATER
During photosynthesis, plants produce ____ and _____ which are essential for living organisms.
SUGAR AND OXYGEN
Photosynthesis ONLY PERSISTS IF?
the sun is present and shining!
What is albedo?
The ABILITY of a material to reflect light.
a ____ albedo means that a material can reflect light MORE.
HIGH!!!!!
___ surfaces have a LOW albedo.
BLACK
In the albedo scale, the values CLOSER TO 0 means that a
the material REFLECTS all the light.
FALSE! IT ABSORBS ALL THE LIGHT.
In the albedo scale, the values CLOSER TO 1 means that a material ABSORBS all the light.
FALSE! IT REFLECTS ALL THE LIGHT
What is the primary source of energy of the Earth?
SUN!
____ ____ warms the Earth.
Solar energy
Solar energy is one of the ____ ____ of weather and climate.
DRIVING FORCES
The sun’s energy is transferred across an empty space or _____ to Earth’s surface through ______.
VACUUM
RADIATION!
What is radiation?
It is the transfer of heat through ELECTROMAGNETIC waves.
_____ is essential in regulating Earth’s temperature.
HEAT
Sunlight converts molecule precursors in your skin to produce ___, which is responsible for ____ maintenance.
VITAMIN D
BONE
This is the process by which green plants and certain other
organisms transform LIGHT energy into CHEMICAL energy.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Solar energy is a ____ resource.
RENEWABLE RESOURCE
Through the advancement of technology, people can now
harness solar energy by means of _____ ______.
SOLAR PANELS
If there is no sunlight, there will be a ____ ____ between plants to herbivores to humans.
DOMINO EFFECT
The utilization of solar energy, when compared to fossil fuels, is
BETTER because it is _____ and the equipment maintenance cost is ______.
CLEANER AND MINIMAL
The Earth’s ____ ____ needs to ensure that
absorbed solar radiation is balanced with the radiated ones.
ENERGY BUDGET
Keeping Earth’s energy budget ensures that the _____ temperature on Earth remains _____ and that life continues to exist.
AVERAGE
STABLE
What is Earth’s energy budget?
It is the balance of energy absorbed and energy reflected.
30% of the energy is REFLECTED back to space by the clouds, atmosphere, and light-colored areas.
TRUE
70% of the energy is ABSORBED atmosphere, land, and oceans.
TRUE
All this solar energy absorbed by the atmosphere, air, land and oceans MUST NOT be radiated back to space.
FALSE. they MUST.
Energy in should ALWAYS equal to energy out.
TRUE
This is the type of electromagnetic wave that is 44% of the radiant energy emitted by the sun.
VISIBLE LIGHT!
These are the type of electromagnetic wave that is 49% of the radiant energy emitted by the sun.
NEAR-INFRARED
FAR-INFRARED
MICROWAVE
RADIO WAVES
This is the type of electromagnetic wave that is the remaining 7% of the radiant energy emitted by the sun.
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION!
What are the FOUR factors that affect the Earth’s energy budget?
- the amount of light colored surfaces
- amount of radiation received
- Earth’s axial tilt
- presence of greenhouse gases.
FACTORS
What do light-colored areas do to our Earth?
It ENABLES the reflection of solar energy.
FACTORS
Energy balance can also be affected when the amount of radiation received by Earth from the sun CHANGES.
TRUE
FACTORS
Areas within or near the equator experience higher
amounts of solar radiation, making the areas warmer.
TRUE
FACTORS
Throughout the year, the orientation of Earth toward the sun changes. This change has a direct effect on the intensity of insolation.
TRUE
What is insolation?
This is the amount of solar radiation that reaches a given area AKA the exposure to the sun’s rays.
FACTORS
Greenhouse gases TRAP the solar energy that should have been reflected back to space.
TRUE
FACTORS
What are examples of greenhouse gases? (5)
Methane
Nitrous oxide
Ozone
Water vapor
Carbon dioxide
FACTORS
The more solar energy trapped, the more greenhouse gases that is trapping them.
TRUE
FACTORS
What is the greenhouse effect?
Some energy is re-emitted in all directions, thus, heating Earth.
MISPLACED SOLAR ENERGY BC OF THE BAD GASES
