Topic 5 - Light And The Electromagnetic Spectrum - Temperature

Question 1

What must an object do to remain at a constant temperature?

Answer 1

It must radiate the same average power that it absorbs

Question 2

What happens if an object absorbs more power than it emits?

Answer 2

The temperature will increase

Question 3

What happens if an object absorbs less power than it emits?

Answer 3

The temperature will decrease

Question 4

What maintains the temperature of the Earth?

Answer 4

The amount of energy received and emitted from the sun

Question 5

What type of radiation from the sun reaches the Earth?

Answer 5

Short-wavelength Infra-red radiation

Question 6

What happens to the short-wavelength radiation that reaches the Earth?

Answer 6

Some is reflected by the atmosphere, most reaches the surface

Question 7

How is energy absorbed by the Earth re-emitted?

Answer 7

As longer-length IR radiation

Question 8

What absorbs the longer-length IR radiation re-emitted by the Earth?

Answer 8

The atmosphere (greenhouse gases, CO2 etc.)

Question 9

Fill in the blank: The energy absorbed by the Earth is re-emitted as _______.

Answer 9

[longer-length IR radiation]

Question 10

True or False: The Earth’s temperature increases when it emits more power than it absorbs.

Answer 10

False