Describe what would happen to the temperature on Earth if the amount of energy reflected back to space
a) increased to 80%
b) decreased to 5%
To understand what would happen to the temperature on Earth, we need to consider the concept of the Earth's energy balance. The Earth receives energy from the Sun in the form of incoming solar radiation. Some of this energy is reflected back to space by the Earth's atmosphere, clouds, and surface, while the remaining energy is absorbed by the Earth's surface and atmosphere, leading to an increase in temperature.
Now, let's assess the two scenarios you mentioned:
a) If the amount of energy reflected back to space increased to 80%, it means that more of the incoming solar radiation is being bounced back into space. This would result in less energy being absorbed by the Earth, leading to a decrease in the amount of heat trapped in the atmosphere. Consequently, the temperature of the Earth would likely decrease.
b) Conversely, if the amount of energy reflected back to space decreased to 5%, it means that less of the incoming solar radiation is being reflected away. As a result, more energy would be absorbed by the Earth's surface and atmosphere, leading to an increase in temperature. This is because a smaller proportion of the incoming energy would be escaping to space, resulting in more heat being trapped in the Earth's system.
It is important to note that the Earth's energy balance is influenced by multiple factors, including greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, cloud cover, surface characteristics, and human activities. Changes in any of these factors can affect the amount of energy reflected back to space and subsequently impact the Earth's temperature.