Earth's energy budget and the greenhouse effect

as infrared, visible light, and ultraviolet light.

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​Solar energy travels to Earth...

​-Has wavelengths that are longer than red light.

-invisible

-Felt as heat

​​Infrared

-​All the colors you see in the rainbow

• ROYGBIV

​​Visible light

-Invisible

-Wavelengths shorter than violet

-Can cause sunburns, skin cancer, eye damage

​​Ultraviolet

Why is the energy budget important?

• It determines our climate.

• If we give off less energy than we receive, the Earth will heat up.

• If we give off more energy than we receive, the Earth will cool down.

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​Earth's Energy Budget

-Gases in the atmosphere trap heat. This forms a "blanket" around Earth.

-This is a natural process that helps temperature to stay consistent.

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​What is the Greenhouse Effect?

The energy that comes in has to equal the energy that goes out. Too much energy in means too hot. Too much energy out means too cold.

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​What does it all mean?

25% is reflected by clouds, dust, and gases in the air. This never makes it through the atmosphere. About 5% is reflected by the surface back into the atmosphere

​​Reflected

44% is radiated from the surface back to the clouds and atmosphere. This is added to the 20% already in the atmosphere. This total of 64% radiated out into space. About 6% is radiated from earth's surface back into space.

​​Radiated

​20% is absorbed by gases and particles in the atmosphere. About 50% is absorbed by the Earth's surface.

​​Absorbed